The Way That We Are
by Littlepurplestars
Summary: Preview: "Sasuke" he said a third time. He was growing impatient. His fingers, although cautious, thread themselves in the dark hair. He felt the strands against his skin and pulled, a hard and commanding gesture.The eyes he saw looking up at him froze him into place, an unexpected paralysis. Summary: This is a NaruSasu fanfiction
1. Chapter 1

They Way That We Are

Chapter 1

"Sasuke" The name came out of his mouth like a breath. With his blue eyes open wide and his hands shaking, he slowly bent his knees and crouched down to the figure before him. The man in front of him was huddled over with his knees to his chest and his forehead resting on the caps. His smaller frame shook with little subtle sobs, making his dark hair flutter slightly. He thought that he was dreaming.

"Sasuke" he said again, this time a little louder than the first. His heart beat in his ears like the steady pounding sound that results from hard swift fists connecting to flesh and bone. His breath rattled with sharp intakes of air as his nerves sped up and anxiety began to rise in his chest.

The figure did not look up at the sound of his name. Instead his sobs became faintly louder and he hugged his knees even tighter against himself in an attempt to keep this new intruder that certainly wasn't a dream, out and away.

"Sasuke" he said a third time. He was growing impatient. His fingers, although cautious, thread themselves in the dark hair. He felt the strands against his skin and pulled, a hard and commanding gesture. 'It's soft and black like ink' he thought. He forced the head up, gentle and stern in both ways.

The eyes. The eyes he saw looking up at him froze him into place, an unexpected paralysis. They were filled with pride, fear, and what could have been hurt. He felt the heat rise up his throat and spread across the scars on his face. He felt angry that his friend's eyes were overflowing with pain. He was angry at what could have caused this. Yes, after all these years apart and after all the mistakes that Sasuke made, he still considered the other man his closest friend. To see him like this now made the fury in him spill over as well as in the fox in his stomach. 'He looks like a broken doll' he whispered to the animal.

"What do you want, Dobe?" the mouth of the doll inquired. A salty tear stained red. It stopped just before it reached his lips on its downwards decent of the bruised face.

'Such pale skin tinged with the effects of battle and self-hatred.' The sly fox broke the silence within Naruto's head.

The raven's mouth flattened out into a line after his question and he consciously drained all the emotion from his eyes. He was not willing to share anymore of his soul with this idiot. He mentally scoffed at this thought. _They say that the eyes are windows to the soul_, he was once told.

"Teme, what happened to you?" the dobe blurted out, his excitement getting the best of him. He scolded himself as he saw Sasuke's body pull tighter into itself, body language indicating that he was closing himself up to the interaction.

'Oh no. Oh no, I don't want him to pull away from me. Not again.' He allowed his tan fingers to slide from the hair and felt the tips brush against the water on the smooth skin before he realized it. It was then that he allowed himself to crouch down even lower, one of his knees hitting the earth. Dust rose into the air where it was disturbed, but quickly settled once again. He lifted his free hand to caress the other cheek, still cautious but determined.

The object of his attention attempted to pull away, to remove the fingers and the hand. The heat they omitted burned him. But the idiot would not allow it. Instead he pressed with a small amount of pressure, commanding enough to make the raven hold still.

He opened his mouth as the words fell out with a softer tone, "Teme, tell me what's wrong." He was sure that the whole world could hear the rhythm of his heart.

Sasuke turned his head away from him, this time strong enough to disconnect the feel of skin on his face. He rested his chin on his knees. "Get away from me. You're not worth my time." No, Naruto's was not worth his time, not after he had accomplished his goals whereas this dead last had not reached his own yet. He was far too advanced in skill and social status to associate with him. At this thought, he felt his conscience scold him and reprimand him for being hateful. He was just looking for an excuse to keep himself guarded. If he had no bonds to begin with, they could not be broken and they could not hurt him.

He could smell himself. He could smell the tangy metal of blood on his own skin; he knew that Naruto could smell it and see it too. This made him feel vulnerable and vulnerability was not an option. This disturbed him.

Naruto could feel himself growing angry. 'I just want to help him. I want to make him better. To take him home with me.' _With me._ He contemplated this last part and determined that it was correct 'yes with me.' He shook his head, dismissing this revelation and promising to revisit it later at a better time. The anger remained.

"Why are you like this, you jerk? You've always been like this. I get that your pride won't allow you to accept help, but from the way you look right now you look like you can barely breathe. I think you need me." He said this loud. 'I want to hold him, his head looks heavy' he heard himself echo like an empty room in his head.

Sasuke did not react to this statement right away and so to invoke something in the other man, he moved a little closer. He could sense the other's body tense but it remained still as if to prove that he was unafraid.

A dark clump of bangs fell across porcelain skin and his fingers dared to brush it behind a small ear. This gesture of kindness finally caused a reaction.

He reacted to Naruto's attempt to comfort. His temperature increased and the confusion became louder and much fuzzier in his brain. 'I hurt him. I tried to kill him. I've been running from him for years. I don't understand. I'm so mean to him. I don't understand. I want to hate him because he is everything that I am not. I don't understand. He is truly stupid.' He lifted his head and again faced his rival. What he saw was no surprise.

He saw sky blue and yellow the texture of fur. He saw sun kissed tan and whisker scars. Broad shoulders and orange fabric. In the eyes he saw anticipation. In the hands he saw frustration. And on the neck he could see the heartbeat, the rush of blood frantically pumping through the veins in attempt to circulate oxygen into the lungs. It was this that captivated him. He fixated on the fast but steady rhyme of the beating.

'Yes look at me, notice me' the blonde chanted inside himself. He felt that if his friend could see the emotions that he was feeling, he'd finally listen and maybe open up to him. This was a stretch, he admitted to himself. But he was an optimistic man.

He couldn't decide what to say and so he settled for cruelty, for this is what he is used to. "If I have always been this way, then how could you expect me to act otherwise? I don't need you. I have never done so before and I will not in the future. You have nothing I neither want nor need. Go away." He took a deep breath, felt his ribs crack. He winced. He had completely forgotten about the wound on his upper stomach that he had hastily slapped a bandage on to stop the bleeding. It hadn't even been cleaned. It will become an infection and fester. It stung. Water gathered in the corner of his eyes.

The words hit him like nails, although they were logical. Sasuke was right, how could he expect things to be any different. The world was not full of unbroken promises and easy rain. The fact that this dark haired man needed him was an unwavering thought in his head however. He saw him flinch. 'The pain is coming from his stomach' he noticed. Then it was decided. If he wanted this, wanted Sasuke to come home, there was no time and no other chances but to take him by force right now.

The frown that had planted itself on his lips curled upward. "This is what's best for both you and me even though it might not seem like it right now. You can't move on your own, otherwise you would have run off from me. I'm going to take you to get help. If you come willingly you can ride on my back, but if you fight me I will carry you in my arms."

There was no other option. He knew where they would be headed and he found himself not minding much. He had done what he had set out to do. He was an avenger and he supposed there was nothing else left for him out here. "Hn," he replied to this.

Startled by the absence of a snappy comeback or hate filled words, heat began to bloom across his skin. As Sasuke unraveled himself, he began to feel nervous. He placed one strong hand and arm under Sasuke to help him stand up straight.

"Climb on my back Teme." His voice shook.

To preserve his image he began to struggle. He did not want the dobe to know he had given up and he did not want to go willingly, even though he knew it was necessary to return to the village he had left behind as a child.

He kicked as well as he could, with his aching abdominal area, and he curled his hands into fists. He struck the blonde everywhere that he could and he screamed a long deep yell.

The fox container sighed. He knew this would not be easy. His strong limbs itched to fight back, for that was how they knew how to communicate best. He gave no warning. He slugged the other man in mouth as hard as he could, no regrets. After he saw the stagger and the shock, he swiftly placed his arm under Sasuke's legs and pulled him to his chest. His other arm wrapped around his back, holding him into place.

The avenger did not expect to be hit in the face. He assumed that Naruto would feel pity for his sorry state, even though he was making such a fuss. He was caught off guard once again as he felt himself being picked up and held against a chest.

The heartbeat again. Instead of seeing it this time, he felt it against his skin. It beat so strong it was audible and could be sensed even through Naruto's clothing. The wound spread pain throughout his whole body, his nerves begging to become numb.

The steady movement of him running calmed the pale one in his arms down. He watched the other frown then slowly close his eyes. This man's chakra was low; he could feel it even as he saw him sitting on the ground moments ago. 'You die when you run out right?'

He ran faster as the darkness of his eyelids enveloped his friend.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

This chapter is written in a broken apart way to portray both men's disorientation, confusion, and exhaustion. Naruto finds Sasuke crouched in a field with a large and almost fatal wound in his stomach. Sasuke is in disbelief that Naruto is actually there at first and Naruto struggles with the strong emotions that he is feeling towards the other man. After realizing just how injured Sasuke is, Naruto makes the not so hard decision to take him by force back to the village while worrying about Sasuke's survival. Sasuke pretends to put up a fight to keep up his reputation and is slightly confused as to why he doesn't mind being taken back by Naruto as much as he would have before.


	2. Chapter 2

The Way That We Are

Chapter 2

He opened his eyes two days later. He felt an ache in his bones but knew the wound was numb. He could tell that the bruises weren't spread across his skin anymore. He was cold. The air smelled like sterilizing alcohol. 'I'm in the hospital,' he concluded without having to look around.

When he felt it was time to investigate his surroundings he took in everything. The white lights. The hard linoleum floor. The heart monitor beeping. 'That's my heart. Such a lonely sound.'

He scrutinized everything in sight until he saw it. His gaze fell upon the snoring creature in the corner of the room. It made a loud rumbling noise with its mouth. It was covered in a black and orange jacket, soft sun rays peeking from under the fabric. He watched the breath in the thing's lungs move its body slowly and evenly up and down. It stirred. He closed his eyes to avoid detection. It settled once again. He left out a breath.

He tried to put things in order within his brain. A messed up puzzle it all seemed to be. Yes, he was in the village. Yes he was brought here by the idiot and no, he didn't fight against it all too hard. Yes he's done all he could to achieve his goals. His enemies were dead, cold and broken somewhere far away from where he was right now.

Orochimaru was cut into pieces. The snake squirmed and kicked but it was no use. He had devoured his talent and left the thing lying dead on the floor. It was not a pity. He was strong now and that was all that mattered.

Itatchi was gone. Eye sockets empty. Skin light grey. Blood drained. Only after he saw the man stop breathing did he admit to himself that he loved his brother once and although he hated him in the end, he could not stop himself from remembering what it was like to play and train with his Anki.

Danzo was destroyed. The eyes of the mighty Uchiha clan closed and died along with his corruption. He was still disgusted at the thought of his family's eyes being implanted in that monster of a man's arm and used against him. He mourned them one last time before he saw the explosion of flesh.

Mandra had his head severed. It was a clean and easy cut. He assumed it would be much more difficult. He slid his katana across his ancestor's neck as the man slept. It was one Uchiha the world wouldn't miss so much as a pinch of salt.

Kabuto quickly regretted advancing on him and pinning him against a wall. Knowing the medical Nin desired him, he allowed this. He drew him closer and closer still until the cold stone touched his bare back. He took a breath. His kunai pierced the surgeon's chest. He fell on top of him and felt accomplished as he held both his hands down to prevent him from healing himself. This foe bled to death.

The war was over. Yes, it was alright to be here. They wouldn't kill him. He was the last of his clan left and he was the only one with such powerful eyes. He had exceptional skill. They would want to use him and so he would not be locked up. The worst he could predict that they would do was to have the Anbu babysit him with cautious ways. He had nothing to fear.

He swallowed. He felt a slight pain in his throat, a stitch. It was dry and it itched. He coughed a loud cut in the silence.

The creature awoke, limbs flailing in the air after being startled. It quickly realized where it was and stretched. The jacket fell to the floor and the coughing sound still erupted within the room.

"Sasuke, are you alright? You had us scared, you didn't wake up. Here," it said as it handed Sasuke the bottle of water the nurse had left behind.

At the words, he corrected himself. He was in the village and the war was over and the monsters were dead and his body hurt a little but not all that much and this wasn't a creature, it was Naruto. The dobe. The idiot. The dead last. The rival. The one that brought him back to this place. He took a sip of the water.

"I hurt a little still." He said to the creature Naruto. He took another gulp of water.

Naruto stood there staring at his friend. Sasuke was back. Sasuke was back and he was in the hospital. Sasuke was back in the hospital and he wasn't trying to run away. Sasuke was home and he didn't want to leave. He was baffled, surprised, and enormously happy. 'It's like fire in my chest'

'It's like letting the breeze flow through' added the fox as he watched the hospital patient from inside the boy. It was hot where he was.

He was overwhelmed. He couldn't suppress it any longer; he had to know if what he assumed was right. "Sasuke-Teme, you know this is your home from now on right? This has always been your home."

"Hn," was the response. He wiped his mouth where the water had dripped out of the corner of his lips and he looked up. Naruto's eyes were on him again and he saw the anticipation in them. As the silence stretched out across them like a fog, he saw them change. They became darker. Sadder.

He did not want to fight anymore; he had done all of that already. This was something new. "Yeah I know." He saw the eyes shift again. The man in front of him was pleased. "Dobe," he added for good measure.

The blonde let his mouth fall open slightly, only for a moment before he allowed his mouth to portray his happiness. His gaze never left his once missing friend.

Sasuke looked away, no longer used to long stares as he once was as a child. He smirked. His ego bled through. 'He's fascinated that I'm here I suppose.'

Blue eyes contemplated if it was appropriate to tell him that he had missed him. It was no doubt that the smaller man already knew this, according to all the things Naruto had said to him over the years about how good it would be to have him back in the village. Maybe it should wait. Maybe he would scoff and turn away. Shut himself up. Refuse to allow him to get closer. Perhaps it was best to keep the words to himself. But if he changes his mind and runs again, he will probably succeed, and then the words would be trapped inside instead of in Sasuke's head. He continued to stare at the way the water was swallowed, big gulps moving the smooth and pale throat. 'My Sasuke. My Sasuke. My Sasuke' he chanted to himself, still half in shock that the man was still in the hospital bed.

"Sasuke. I. I. You've been gone so long. I know that I drug you back here against your will and I know that I've been chasing you like a dog for a really long time. I know that you probably hate me for it, but I'm really happy to have you back. Please stay with m-us." He couldn't help it. The feelings came up his throat in a throbbing lump and fell out of his mouth like coins. He couldn't help it. The tears stung at the corners of his eyes and fell as the water gathered, too heavy to stay where they were elevated. He couldn't help it. He touched the side of his face, hands sweaty and calloused from years of fighting. He couldn't help it. And then he realized he probably said more than what was necessary. This was Sasuke after all, an emotionless arrogant clever all-knowing bastard.

"It's just I've missed you so much and I can't believe that you're finally here. I promised Sakura I'd bring you back and I have, I just-ah hell-I'm just so happy." He couldn't help it after all.

The dark haired man turned his head and looked at the crying man. He finally took the time to evaluate all the differences in Naruto now than when he was that blonde headed fool from the academy with the silly toothy grin that he had once known forever ago. He was now taller than was ever expected of him, with long limbs and strong masculine movements. This new height of his caused him to tower over Sasuke by a few inches and the solidity of his new muscles made it seem as if Sasuke was petite in comparison. Besides his outward display of affection with his words today, it seemed like the idiot had grown up a great deal in his absence and had matured into someone worthy of being called a ninja. The raven haired boy noted that he was now strong in many ways. As a child he had always said that he wanted to save as many people as he could, be the Hokage, and make people notice him. Although years ago he had not believed a single one of these goals could come true, he unwillingly believed them now. Naruto was destined to be great even though he had not accomplished these yet. No, he had. He had accomplished at least some of them. Sasuke had heard through others about Naruto aiding almost everyone he came into contact with. He had heard the tales that it was Naruto that had killed pain. For that he received recognition and admiration.

"Stop crying. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not particularly happy to be here, but I'm not devastated either."

"Teme" he said. The word often used in their name calling fights when they were younger, of course held no malice anymore. It was understood that this has been an affectionate pet name for the past few years. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Sniffled a bit. Coughed to clear his throat.

"Teme" he said. He took a deep breath. 'If I were to touch his face, would he punch me?' He reminded himself that he couldn't help it when he was near this man.

He reached with one tan hand. His fingers touched the bottom of Sasuke's jaw. They tingled from the contact, although it was just a small simple touch and although he had touched his face before, he had never ghosted his fingers on another's skin in such an intimate way. This time it was not to comfort Sasuke, but to comfort himself he supposed. He moved his fingers over the pale jaw. He felt the bone beneath the skin, thought just for a moment about how easy it would be to break it, but then let it go as he remembered that he was not mad at Sasuke anymore. He hadn't been angry for years.

The heat was back. It was back and it was hotter than before. It radiated from the fingers and then arched its way up the side of his face. It burned. It burned. It burned. But it felt calming. It felt good. His eyes closed and he allowed the heat to press with a full palm on his cheek. He took a deep breath. He realized that the heat was coming from Naruto and that it was Naruto that was touching him for no obvious reason. His eyes opened as if he was startled from this realization and he panicked. For a brief few seconds he saw Naruto concentrating and staring at his own hand. He felt his thumb move against his cheek in smooth circles as if taking in the texture. That was enough he decided.

He pulled the hand away from his face and moved his own body a little more away from the other. Once again he was in the situation where he didn't understand. 'He keeps touching me.'

He played it off. "I'm fine, idiot. You don't need to keep checking me for bruises and cuts. I'm sure the doctors would have found them by now." He let out air from his lungs.

While touching his friend and rival's skin, it felt like it was something he was supposed to do after he began it. It felt like everything would be alright if he kept touching, like nothing else mattered. 'I sound like a girl' he said inside to the fox only to receive a notion that he sounded like a star in a soap opera.

Sasuke sighed. The touch was kind. He wasn't used to kindness. He was used to the snake's taunting tongue and his brother's cruel laughter, coming out like little splintering cracks in the air. He was used to having Kabuto's hands over him, sickening contact. Most of all he was used to arguing and name calling, especially with the man in front of him now. He was no longer used to kindness that didn't have an ulterior motive attached to it. However, this particular kindness he knew was genuine and he didn't quite know how to deal with it. He knew this man had meant to show him affection and remind him of their bond. There was the phrase 'I don't understand' repeated for the millionth and second time again in his head like a confusing mantra. He took another breath. He sighed once again. He let it go and a blush grew up his neck and spread across the skin on his face. He took another breath.

His hand flew to the back of his head when he saw the light redness bloom on Sasuke's face. He rubbed his hand up and down, mussing his hair. This was a nervous habit that he had since he was a child. When they were children he never saw the raven blush, but over the last few days he had seen pink stain the pale skin more times than he had ever expected to. This time he knew the blush was truly a blush however. It was not caused by surprise or exertion from battle. It was not due to the cold wind hitting skin that sought warmth. It was different this time. It seemed like Sasuke was different this time. 'He's changed. Not as cold as when I met him under the bridge with Kakashi and Sakura.' The fox murmured in a whisper inside of him at this internal comment, 'I hope you understand what you're doing. I can feel you reaching for a stronger bond. You've noticed that he's changed, but do not get your hopes up. He is still miles away from you.' Naruto ignored this remark; he reminded himself again that he was after all an optimistic man.

The silence was awkward. He could hear his own breaths. He wanted to ask Sasuke so many questions. Wanted to ask him how things in their separate lives had led them to where they were now. Wanted to ask him why they had to be separate in the first place to grow and learn the way that they had. He had always, from the very beginning at the academy no matter how much he pretended to hate him, had always expected to become stronger beside Sasuke and he was disappointed that it didn't happen. He was possibly the strongest ninja of his generation within the village and he was disappointed that he was unable to become what he was today with his best friend by his side. He wanted to ask Sasuke what he had done with their time apart besides becoming incredibly strong and accomplishing his main goals. He wanted to know if he was the same, if he still had the same habits, and hell he wanted to know if the bastard still loved tomatoes. He wanted to ask Sasuke to become closer to him, both emotionally and physically. He thought perhaps this was not the time, he had only just woken up and he was unsure what the punishment for Sasuke's betrayal would be. If Sasuke were to agree to answer these questions, especially the last one, there would be no stopping him from saving Sasuke and running off with him were the elders and the Hokage to decide that Sasuke needed to die for his crimes.

Instead he decided to start over. To start over from where they left off in their previous friendship and settle into a way of conversation that they were used to. He pushed all the pain and hurt Sasuke caused him over the years aside once again and ignored his fox's pleas to interrogate the bastard. "Sasuke, you were pretty heavy while I was carrying you here. You must have gained tons of weight! I think you owe me lots of ramen for getting you home safely." He added the word _home_ to remind Sasuke just where he belonged. He smiled his silly grin that he had developed as a self-defense mechanism from the villagers when they had once hated him. "Now I'll pay for our first bowls, but then you have to buy the rest until we're full. Ok?"

He noticed the subject change. He was relieved, no longer embarrassed from the touch. This sort of banter from the blonde was what he was more used to. He countered in his usual way. "I wasn't heavy like you from eating all that garbage, you were just incredibly weak. And I'm not buying you ramen; it's so toxic it'll kill even more of your miniscule brain cells. Besides you'd eat up all of my money." He smirked his signature lip curl and looked up at Naruto.

His heart beat faster if possible at the smirk. He knew this was Sasuke and that he was here, but this truly reminded him that _this was Sasuke. _He still stood in front of his friend while he sat in his hospital bed, and as he looked down at his the man looking up at him his mind wandered, 'I'm going crazy. Wait, I already am. I've had the idea that I've loved him for a very long time and I know that it was confirmed from the moment I saw him in that field. I was so afraid that he was dying. I didn't want to lose him. I knew exactly how I felt about him then, but I wasn't prepared for this. I'm crazy and naïve. Of course I'd feel this way. He's beautiful and he's looking up at me, I bet he'd look something like that from underneath me. I fucking love him and now I guess I want him too. I'm fucking crazy!'

The fox replied to his internal rant, 'Naruto, calm down. You are rambling to yourself again and you're getting yourself worked up, and not in the way that Sasuke is right now.' He laughed his hearty deep laugh that caused his container to become embarrassed. 'Shut up you perverted fur ball! I—'and then he got it.

"Hey! I am not weak! It was just so tiring carrying you like that! If you would have come with me willingly, I would have been able to carry you on my back! You stubborn bastard! And you will too buy me food, you owe me for saving your ass, believe it!" he pumped his fist in the air.

"It would be the only time that you've ever saved me, idiot!" He realized what he said, but it was too late. The blonde had caught it.

"You just admitted that I saved you. I mean, I knew that I did and that you'd die if I had left you there, but you actually admitted it." This comment was much calmer than the beginning of the fight. He was astonished. This was a small piece of evidence that Sasuke respected him. Then he saddened. He forced himself to calm down, to analyze the most likely. Even though Sasuke was himself but different somehow, and just because Naruto felt the possibility of their bond becoming stronger than ever before, it did not give him a right to assume what Sasuke was feeling for him. Naruto may have loved him and wanted him desperately, but it did not mean that Sasuke would ever feel the same. It was highly likely that Sasuke could never even see them as something more than friends because of his gender.

He pushed these thoughts away and reminded himself again that he was an optimistic man after all. He decided that he would eventually tell Sasuke how he felt about him. He was anxious about the reaction from the other man he would receive, but he knew that even if he wasn't willing to express himself it would happen anyway. He couldn't even resist telling Sasuke that he missed him a few minutes ago, how could he hide his want and need for the avenger? He would wait a few days just to be near him. He needed Sasuke to know how he was feeling, but if the feelings were unwanted he would just be pushed away and not allowed near him. He didn't want to risk the improvement of their friendship so soon. Sasuke was used to getting what he wanted and casting what he didn't aside.

The silence only lasted a few seconds, but to him it felt like time slowed down and the seconds turned to minutes. He was not sure how to respond to the dobe's reply. "No, I just-"He gave up, he couldn't counter attack. "Yeah you did. You saved me, but don't let it go to your head because it's not going to happen again."

There was no time to react to Sasuke's comment. The door to the room opened with a slam as it hit the wall with force. Such a hollow echo. She stood at the entry and stared. Her eyes quickly shifted from Naruto to Sasuke, failing to even take time to notice the blonde's smile or the trace of water in his blue eyes. He overtook all of the attention she was able to give. She gaped at how much better he looked compared with how he looked when Naruto had carried him there. She remembered how he had held onto Sasuke like a child with a favorite blanket. The possessiveness of her teammate surprised her as he refused to allow anyone to touch the prize in his arms at first. He had growled and claimed that he didn't want to let go, again something a child would do. When he finally did let go, it was only for Tsunade to fix Sasuke's injuries and his own.

She had missed him. She had once asked Naruto to bring him home to her. Yes she had missed him, but over the years she began to miss him less with every passing month until the feeling of loss died down within her to a small whimper. She knew this was not the case for Naruto however. He had searched and searched for this dark haired man and had only really trained with bringing him home in his mind. He had never stopped missing him, had never given up hope, and had never felt complete without his rival by his side. She knew all this and scoffed at her long ago fantasy. _Home to her_. He was not brought home for her. She had known for a while that if Sasuke were to be brought back to the village, it would not be for her, it would be for Naruto. She knew before he did, she thought. She understood what love looked like because she too had loved this man in front of her once and what she saw in those blue eyes over the years showed her that he loved Sasuke more than she had ever. _It was puppy love _she supposed. A crush. A small flaw on her reputation of being strong. She felt jealous at first. Later she felt sorry for him, he was a man after all and Sasuke didn't like men, right? After the pity fell away and she saw how the determination engulfed her teammate and friend into every strong uncalculated movement, she began believing that he could make Sasuke feel something in the end. But she did not truly believe that such a thing was possible until she had witnessed the strong hold and the animalistic childish behavior in him two days ago. She knew now that eventually Sasuke would be _made_ to feel something for him whether Naruto had planned it that way or not with such an intention.

She cautiously made her way over to stand beside her teammate and stare at her former. As she remembered again that she had loved him once, but that too had died down and now what was left offered her no comfort. She felt cold. She leaned closer to Naruto to suck up the warmth he radiated. She felt it faintly but it was not enough. He sensed her desire to be given some sort of attention. Affection. He put his arm around her, rested his big hand on her small shoulder. She felt the happiness seeping through his skin.

"You're awake. Are you feeling any better?" She was awkward. She understood that she had interrupted something. She felt it in the space between them. What else could she say?

He stared back at her. His dark eyes focused on her hands, nervously playing with her own fingers. They were slender and pale. Probably cold. Probably soft. His eyes shifted up to her face. A fake smile, an anxious giggle. Then his eyes landed on the hand placed on her right shoulder, then followed it up the wrist to the arm. His stomach clenched. A tight knot. A solid stone. 'He's touching her. They are close now. I am alone.' He felt the chill within the hospital room. 'I bet he's warm.' He knew then at that thought that it was jealousy that had created the knot. He felt her eyes trace where his had lande.

"I'm feeling better, but I still have pain in my stomach Sakura." At the sound of her name, he saw her jump. Saw Naruto begin to rub her shoulder to comfort her. He felt the knot tighten. She moved in action.

"Let me take a look." Green soothing chakra meant to heal began to gather in her hands as she ran them over his bare chest and stomach. They were smooth and calculating. Professional. Still nervous.

He watched her run her hands on the man that he loved. It was to heal, a medical gesture, but he couldn't help but feel like he should look away. Yet he couldn't. He couldn't tear his eyes away. Sasuke caught his gaze with his inky eyes and offered him the comfort of his smirk. That smirk again. That little piece proving Sasuke was himself. The captivating dark things closed. He watched the breath leave the body, simultaneously with his own.

Within seconds she was done. "Ok it looks like you'll be sore for a few days, but otherwise you're healing well. I'm happy you're here," she added to remind him that she had once dreamed of his return. It was a kind of peace offering. He didn't respond to her. At his silence, she understood that things could not easily be repaired with her former love. She felt it was time to leave. She touched Naruto's shoulder lightly with her fingertips and walked out the door.

They were friends. He cared for her. He had even loved her once. They got along very well now unlike when they were children. He respected her and understood that she had desperately loved Sasuke. He couldn't help it. He couldn't help but feel relieved at her departure. 'You can't have him all to yourself, Kit," the fox whispered from behind his bars. He smiled and replied, 'So that's what it is that I want.'

He pulled the chair that he had been sleeping in and placed it next to his friend. He sat a heavy movement.

The avenger yawned with a small prickle in his nose. His hand covered his mouth with his fingertips. He felt himself becoming more comfortable with the idiot's presence. He had witnessed the strength of the other man and had experienced the kindness that he offered. He felt protected, safe. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt since his anki lived with him. No, he would not think of Itatchi in this moment.

"You're tired huh? I'll let you get some sleep. I'll be back in the morning after I train for a while. The food's awful around here, so I'll sneak you in some breakfast." He stood.

As he began to walk away he felt cold fingers around his wrist. He turned. Saw Sasuke leaning out of his bed, one hand wrapped around the railing for balance and the other holding him into place where he stood. He stared waiting for an explanation. When none was offered, he opened his mouth to fill in the blank.

"Don't worry, I'll be back and I'll bring you a tomato." His heart sped up. He didn't want this new found comfort to leave. He needed him, although he had said on several occasions that he didn't. An aching feeling spread over his chest. The knot once again made itself known to him.

"Stay. Stay with me until I fall asleep." It was not a request.

"Yeah sure." He was nervous. Excited. Happy. Back to nervous again. He sat again in the chair and watched Sasuke lay back down. He helped him pull the sheet to cover himself and he smiled as the raven closed his eyes.

He felt the hair on his face being pushed behind his ear as the darkness over took him once more. Having this idiot near him as he fell asleep could be a very interesting habit to have.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

In this chapter, Sasuke wakes up in the hospital to find Naruto asleep on a chair in the corner. He goes over his various accomplishments and achievements in his head and he decides that it is ok that he is in Konoha. When Naruto awakes, the two share a small intimate moment together and the reader's find out that Naruto has been in love with Sasuke for a very long time. Sasuke states that he will not leave the village and also admits that Naruto saved him from dying in the field. They are interrupted by Sakura as she gives him a checkup. When she leaves, Sasuke is still tired and wants Naruto to stay with him until he falls asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The Way That We Are

Chapter 3

He had expected her, just not so early. She had arrived in his hospital room just as the sun hit the tips of the trees, dew still clung to the grass. Her face was stern, confident and stubborn, but her honey eyes were soft. He marveled at the contrast in this woman.

She had come to tell him that everything he assumed about his punishment was right. He would be babysat and watched by the anbu until further notice. He would be followed and observed every second of every day. His family home had not been rebuilt after Pain's attack although Sakura had begged for her to reconsider. He would be given his own apartment as compensation for this loss. He would choose which one he preferred from a selection of vacancies throughout the village. He noticed that one of his choices was in the same building as his rival. He was ordered not to leave the village, _if you leave again it will only break him apart and he will not be repaired this time_, she had said. He didn't need her to elaborate on whom she had meant when she said _he_, it could only be the idiot that she was so fond of. He knew her words were true though and he did not doubt them. It would destroy him and this time he would not chase after Sasuke with hope in mind.

After she had warned him to stay out of trouble, she released him from the hospital. He now stood at the entrance completely healed with no visible wounds. He stood alone other than his new guards hidden out of sight. He could feel their eyes on him, sense their chakra on all sides of him. This did not disturb him, he had expected it. Instead he felt comfortable that he would never truly be alone for a long time into the future because when he was alone his mind wandered and the memories of all he had done for the sake of completing his goal would haunt him. He had grown afraid of being alone.

It was cold. The earth hadn't been awake long enough for the sun to warm it up. He didn't have anywhere in particular to go. The shops were closed and he was currently homeless and so he wandered the streets aimlessly. He walked for several minutes, watching white smoke tumble out of his mouth as the warm air from his lungs hit the cold surrounding him. Then he stopped. He stood outside of the ramen shop he had gone to several times as a child accompanied by his old team. It was different. A different location. A different shape. A larger customer capacity. It was still closed and its metal gate was still down. He remembered his promised breakfast and turned towards the training grounds.

They too looked different. Of course they would, they had been rebuilt. His eyes scanned the area and took in every new detail covering the new space until his eyes found their target. He was in his orange and black jacket, 'as if he'd wearing anything different' and he stood with his back to Sasuke. His yellow hair picked up the shine of the sun. It caught Sasuke's breath as he watched. His movements were strong and controlled, unlike his spontaneous movements in battle. He sparred with his own clone kicking and punching, blocking and dodging. He was impressive with his strength and swiftness.

Sasuke watched him, his eyes taking in every movement and his body aching to join in the spar. He wanted to surprise the dobe, catch him off guard and win the match. He wanted something to boost his fallen ego. He heard the idiot mumble to his clone and stilled himself, curious as to what had the blonde talking out loud.

"I have to get stronger. I want to be able to protect him. I have to make him acknowledge me," he confided in the clone.

"You are strong," the clone assured the original and Naruto smiled at the replication of himself. Yes, he was strong. He had just wanted to refine his skills to make Sasuke notice him. He had felt motivated by Sasuke's admission yesterday and had even allowed himself a small bit of daydreaming about the other man being grateful. He had saved him and he wanted to do it again, but in a different way. He wanted to be able to save Sasuke by fighting off an enemy, displaying his strength and courage. This would get Sasuke to understand his strength. 'This is beginning to sound like a fairy tale in my head.'

Sasuke was strong and could defend himself because he had to. If Sasuke saw that Naruto was strong enough, then perhaps Sasuke would allow Naruto to take care of him instead. He sighed. He felt frustrated, aggravated with himself.

He paused the spar and rubbed the palm of his hand against his face. He sighed again, this time much longer. "I'm going crazy like this." He declared.

"You're not crazy. You're just frustrated because you're in love with a bastard," stated the clone with a serious expression.

He laughed and shook his head as if trying to ward away the truth. He gave up, "Yeah that fucking Teme Bastard. It had to be him I guess, who else would it be, ne?" He could feel the sweat sliding from his hair line. A salty trail.

Sasuke felt the knot form again and tighten. His breath quickened. Many times before had he heard love confessions for him from people thinking that they were in love with him. Sakura, Ino, and almost every girl of his generation had at one point or another confessed to him. He did not expect one to come from his best friend. Yes, he supposed that Naruto was his best friend seeing as how he was the only one that held on to their friendship so tightly. Was he not worthy to be called such a thing? He had also never known any confession that had felt real. They had all been given when he was a child and had often been provoked by his looks. None had ever been sincere, but he knew that what Naruto said in what he thought was privacy, was the truth.

It sunk in. Naruto was in love with him. He could see it now, the unnecessary displays of affection through touch, the willingness to endure Sasuke's hatred in bringing him back to the village, the determination over the years, the desperation to get Sasuke to notice him.

Then there was the time under the bridge where he had entered Naruto's thoughts after a strong punch at one another. He had seen Naruto in that white space that could have been Naruto's heart or his own, he did not truly know. When the whiteness faded away and reality was painted again, Naruto had asked him if he had seen what was in his heart. He had begun to say something more before he was interrupted. Sasuke knew now what Naruto would have said that time and he now felt less surprised.

Naruto had loved him for a long time then, he concluded. He knew this was the truth and he didn't quite know what to do with it. What disrupted his line of thought was the fact that this new discovery did not bother him, in fact he felt satisfied and this confused him. He drew chilly morning air into his lungs and decided that he would pretend that he hadn't overheard his rival in attempt to buy himself time.

The fox container began to spar again as Sasuke slowly made his way up to him. He was in fighting stance as he came to a stop behind Naruto. He smirked his signature expression and waited for a reaction.

He felt him before his eyes captured his face. His body tingled. He swung. Sasuke was ready for it though and dodged with grace. There were no greetings exchanged, no words mouthed. Hard fists connected to hard and prepared bodies as the sun rose higher along the horizon.

They fought in this way for an hour, wordless and content until Naruto could no longer help himself. He opened up the bottle that he kept for his anger and this was no longer a friendly spar. He moved much faster and stronger than before. This caught Sasuke off guard and he became pinned beneath the blonde. He felt the fists hit his face one after another, never ceasing in their painful pattern. He felt the blood burst from his lips but did not fight back. He knew this was necessary, this hurt fuelled attack. Maybe he had even deserved this, just a little he supposed. He laid there with the ground hard against his back and his best friend above him drawing blood out of him and radiating anger.

"You made her cry, you know? You hurt Kakashi, he believed in you! We all did! We could have gotten stronger together, you bastard! We could have stayed a family and I could have helped you kill your brother! You wouldn't have had to do everything alone! I spent so much time searching for you, trying to bring you back. I tried so hard not to be angry with you anymore, but I can't help wonder how you could leave! How could you just leave us without even a good bye? How could you leave me behind?"

His breath was heavy. He closed his eyes and the water fell from them. They hit the face below his and then he realized what was happening. He stopped his barrage of fists to catch up in his mind. When he opened his eyes he saw his best friend under him, battered and bleeding. He felt ashamed. This time it was he who had broken Sasuke and he felt disgusted. The weight in his stomach grew and quickly pushed itself up his throat. He leaned to the side and allowed it to fall out of his mouth. Retching noises and strong heaves left his chest as he emptied the contents of his stomach.

When he was completely empty, he turned the upper part of his body towards Sasuke again. And he saw the look of understanding in his friend's eyes. Sasuke still did not move. He let Naruto's weight sit on top of him and he stared, waiting for him to be done with this foolish act.

He was sorry. He was sorry and he didn't know what to do next. He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and closed his eyes. More water fell. He leaned down just above Sasuke's face and let his forehead fall against his rival's. His fingertips caressed the hairline just to the side of his own forehead, silky black strands. He was reminded of when he had touched them in the field a few days ago.

"I'm sorry Sasuke. I didn't mean to hurt you," he breathed out. It was a whisper or a pant, he couldn't tell. "I am so sorry. I never want to hurt you. Please forgive me," he begged. He had always been begging Sasuke for something, to return to the village, to train with him, to eat ramen with him, now this.

Sasuke lay there still and unmoving. His voice was caught in his throat. There were no words that he could offer his friend right now, they would not come out. Instead he lifted one of his hands to the back of Naruto's head and tangled his fingers in the hair that he found there. He pulled gently towards himself, pressing the man's forehead harder against his own. The other hand caressed the side of the face above him with the side of his thumb.

Naruto stopped breathing; he wanted this form of affection to last. He was forgiven, he assumed. This was a sign that their friendship would not come to an end because of his anger explosion. He would not allow himself to do that again. For now he felt the skin on his own and begged the fingers to stay where they were planted.

The smaller man looked fragile beneath him, breakable, and tender. He felt the strong urge to protect him from every danger including himself. Heat gathered in his lower stomach and he didn't notice his hardness until it was pressed into the body underneath him. The small amount of friction let his mind wander. 'I could kiss him and I think that he would let me.' he dismissed the thought. Sasuke would allow it because he would believe that it was just Naruto taking his frustration out on him. He would not understand that this reaction was not due to the adrenaline rushing through him from the fight. If he stopped now, Sasuke would not think anything of his erection. Arousal happened often among ninja during battle.

As he looked up at Naruto with his hands still around the blonde's head, he could see a storm in the blue eyes. He could see something being processed. He wanted to know what the other was thinking until he became distracted. There was something warm and hard pressed into his stomach. He shifted. It twitched. He understood what it was but he continued to allow Naruto to finish the thought in his head.

His own body became hot. He didn't understand. Of course he had been exposed to such things, he had lived with Kabuto and Orochimaru for years. He had been made to do many things with them, but his body had never reacted this way. Sure he would become hard when he was supposed to and he would climax when appropriate, but he had never been truly aroused. His body overheated and he felt the urge to push himself further up upon Naruto's heated organ.

He didn't though. He was not sure if sexual contact with Naruto was something that he wanted right now. He had only just come back to the village and he had only just learned of the blonde's feelings for him, and they hadn't even been announced to him yet seeing as how he had only eavesdropped their discovery.

This physical contact had lasted only seconds and then he used both his hands to push Naruto off of him. Naruto was not surprised at this. He had expected Sasuke to push him off from the start. He stood up and brushed the dry mud off of his knees and held his hand out to his friend. His hardness was still visible. He willed it to go away. It didn't. He attempted to ignore it but found it impossible as he felt the heat of Sasuke's hand in his own. His breaths were uneven. He could not stand the heat and aching he felt. The fox urged him to push the raven on the ground and take him as he saw fit. He silenced it and dropped Sasuke's hand.

"I'm gonna go home and take a shower, I'm all covered in mud." He used as an excuse so that he could take care of himself as the warm water ran over him.

"You still owe me breakfast. I didn't eat anything before I left the hospital so that I could have room in my stomach. I'll go along with you." Sasuke replied, knowing he didn't exactly have anywhere else to go right now.

Naruto smiled, happy that his friend wanted to be around him, but irritated that he wouldn't be able to take care of his problem with the other man around.

As they walked to Naruto's apartment, Sasuke told him about all that Tsunade had said. Naruto's suspicion that they were being watched was confirmed. He felt embarrassed. The anbu had seen Naruto's fury and had seen the outward affection shared by the two. They had seen his arousal. He was embarrassed that they had seen just for the fact that it was a private interaction, other than that he found that he didn't care. He did not care what they saw him do or what they thought of him.

He could smell Sasuke's sweat and he resisted the urge to taste the other man as they walked, shoulders almost touching.

Inside his apartment he left Sasuke alone in his kitchen and started the water to the shower. He turned it cold first and hissed as it hit his warm flesh. It stung where it hit the bare skin, but the problem between his legs did not go away. He tried thinking disgusting thoughts but they did not work to calm him down. He could not help but think of Sasuke underneath him, the strong stomach muscles pressing against his organ. The smell of Sasuke's sweat stained skin lingered in his nose and the feel of fingers in his hair still remained. It was useless.

He turned the knobs of the shower until it spit out warm water and he took a deep breath. He imagined what he would want Sasuke to be doing out in his apartment on his own. He imagined Sasuke in his bed, smelling Naruto's scent on the linen, laying his head on Naruto's pillow.

He reached down between his legs and grabbed it. He caressed it with his fingers, squeezed the tip a bit. He pictured Sasuke taking off his shirt and rubbing Naruto's blanket on his bare skin to rub the scent of his skin on it. He enclosed his cock in his water slickened hand and moved up and down, starting off with a slow rhythm. He saw Sasuke unzipping his pants and sliding his hand down them with this new found space. He sped up his pace. His cock pulsed with its massive intake of blood and the heat was almost unbearable. In his mind Sasuke was grabbing himself and smelling Naruto's scent on the bed, causing him to twist and turn his body, thrust in the air and into his palm. The veins on his erection were about to pop.

His breaths were heavy. He closed his eyes and imagined Sasuke's voice screaming his name. It felt so good. He heard it again. And again. This time he knew it wasn't in his imagination, the real Sasuke was calling for him. He couldn't help himself. His hand moved even faster still until he couldn't bare it any longer. He came into his hand; white sticky liquid covered his palm and fingertips. He jerked, riding out his orgasm. He calmed his breath. He had never felt this good while touching himself before. He had never really imagined Sasuke while he did this before either.

It had been twenty minutes. He walked around Naruto's apartment three times in all. Each round he made he analyzed all of the idiot's possessions. There was nothing of value except his weapons for missions, his kunai, a sword he had acquired somewhere along the way. He found none of it particularly interesting until he came to the bedroom. There on the small table beside the bed he found the photograph that they had all taken the day they had formed team 7. Sasuke sighed. The dobe had kept it after all these years. The glass of the frame was all smudged up with fingerprints, most heavily over his face in the picture. 'He must have been touching my face quite often I guess.' He lost himself in his thoughts of where his own copy of the picture could possibly be. He was startled with the knock that came to the front door.

He stood and quickly answered it. On the other side stood Konohamaru, his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. He was no longer a child, but a little older than what he had been when he had left the village. The young man held his mouth open, ready to admit his surprise or shout an insult. Whatever he had been ready to say was forgotten and the boy just let it fall away. Instead he inquired about Brother Naruto's whereabouts. He realized that Sasuke's presence was to be expected here after the Hokage had announced his return.

Sasuke moved aside and motioned for him to come inside the apartment. He nodded and left Konohamaru standing at the front door. He knocked on the bathroom door, expecting a tired voice to come from the other side. When he was given no reply, he called out to the bathroom's inhabitant. He called again. He understood then what his friend was probably doing underneath the water considering what had happened to his body earlier that day.

He swallowed a mouth full of saliva. He imagined Naruto's strong hands around his shaft in the shower, imagined the ragged breath of the other. He shook the thought away. This was not the time to decide that he desired the idiot.

He called out to him again and heard a husky moan in reply. Yes, he knew clearly what Naruto was doing behind that door. He didn't understand what the blue eyed man was imagining as he so though. he knew the blonde was in love with him, but in a lot of cases love was separate from sexual desire. He did not know that it was both Naruto had felt for him.

A blush rose to his face. He tried to stifle it. He was unsuccessful. He knocked again, said the name once more, called him an idiot. Who would waste so much water? He looked behind him to the young intruder that had followed him to the bathroom door without him noticing. They boy was good at practicing his stealth.

"Is there something wrong with Naruto Nii-San that he doesn't answer?"

He sighed. "No, he's fine. Probably just fell asleep in there."

The water stopped and the door opened. Naruto stood in the doorway, an orange worn out towel around his waste. It was old and faded, it was almost white. his chest was bare and flushed from either the water or the activity he had been doing, sasuke didn't dare to guess which. Little water droplets from his hair fell down to touch the skin. The golden locks that usually stood in spikes towards the sky were heavily saturated with water making them fall across the corners of his face. He looked relaxed. His mouth smiled and sasuke to note of every movement it took his lips to do so.

Konohamaru cleared his throat. "Naruto are you almost ready to go?"

The blonde's face fell, the smile drowned away. he hit the side of his head with his palm, the other holding up his towl.

"Ah fuck, I completely forgot. I'm so sorry 'Maru. I'm hanging out with Sasuke today."

The youngest in the room did not look happy. He was angry, jealous even. "But you promised we'd get something to eat and then train together first thing when I got back from my mission!" His voice was whining.

"But 'Maru, this is Sasuke! He's been away for so long, and you know how much I've been looking for him. And now he's here, I want to catch up with him. Besides I promised him breakfast and it's lunch already."

"You promised me first! You said that you never go back on your word, it's your ninja way! And why aren't you mad at him? he left this place to get revenge! You hate the idea of revenge! I don't get it. I don't understand how you can pretend like he never left?" The whine in his voice became higher pitched. He was extremely angry. He did not want Naruto to be hurt again, not by this self-centered man. He too sensed his brother's feelings for the dark haired ninja, you see.

" I hate revenge because he left in the first place! Don't talk about him so hatefully! Don't talk about him like that, not to me!" Naruto too was becoming angry.

Sasuke could tell that they had forgotten his presence in the room. He disliked feeling ignored and he disliked the argument. He wanted to jump in, tell them they were both wrong. Then he reminded himself that he was done fighting. He cleared his throat the way that the youngest ninja had earlier.

"Maybe we could just go together?" he suggested.

Konohamaru pouted and Naruto closed his mouth, suddenly very aware that he stood only in a towel. He avoided Sasuke's eyes. He didn't want to see what look he was giving him because if it was one of approval, he knew his earlier problem with his body would happen again and there would be no more excuses. He took a deep breath to keep himself in control.

"Yeah that sounds like a good idea. What do you think 'Maru?" he asked his younger friend.

This friend continued to pout, crossed his arms and sighed. He was defeated. He would have to put up with the damned avenger and he would have to play nice or his role model would be angry with him. that certainly wouldn't do. He knew his brother would have gladly given all his attention to the dark haired ninja had he had the opportunity. He sighed again.

"Fine, but he has to be nice."

"Hn" was the response he gave. His eyes shifted to Naruto, who had finally decided to look up. "You should hurry up and get dressed," he added.

After he was dressed and ready to go they began walking towards Ramen restaurant. Sasuke had said no ramen, but it was two against one this time. They made their way there and at as they made small talk.

Naruto asked Konohamaru about his mission and about Mogei. He asked about how his training was going and about how he would become Hokage and make him his assistant if he was good enough.

The conversation was boring and Sasuke could feel the young boy's eyes on him. as the meal ended and Naruto got up to pay, Konohamaru leaned close to Sasuke with a warning glint in his brown eyes.

"Don't hurt him and don't leave him behind again. If you do, there are a lot of people in this village that would like to see you dead and Naruto couldn't stop them even if he wanted to." The young one sat back in his place just as his brother came around the corner.

After Konohamaru separated from them, Naruto steered him towards a grocery market. Sasuke was confused at first until he saw the delicious gift in Naruto's hand. He held a red ripe tomato in one grasp and a green one in the other. he paid and handed the red one to Sasuke.

"I promised you a tomato, I think. I'm sorry it's not for breakfast." His hand went to the back of his head once again falling into his habit.

"Thank you. It's been a while since I've been to a village long enough to eat one." His mouth was watering. He wanted to taste it. He loved them so much because they were sweet when ripe, but not too sweet like candy. He couldn't wait, and then he stilled. Since when had Naruto remembered such a thing about him as his love for these fruit but not fruit produce?

"I'm surprised that you remembered that I liked these." It was a flat statement with a hint of curiosity at the end of it.

"How could I not remember, Teme? They were all you wanted to eat, I guess just like all I wanted to eat was ramen. I bet you hadn't been able to forget what my favorite food was even if you tried." He smiled at his friend. He shivered. The air was becoming cold again, like the morning.

He saw sasuke shiver as well. "Let me drop you off. Which apartment did you pick?"

"How did you know I got to pick a place? I only told you about the anbu stalking me."

"Baa-chan told me yesterday before you woke up." He smiled again. It felt nice to be kept in the loop with the Hokage about his best friend. He did not feel left out.

"Oh. I haven't picked a place yet." He was surprised that Naruto hadn't debated this with the Hokage, hadn't demanded that sasuke just stay with him like he had expected him to have done. He almost wished he had. No, not almost. He was tired. He didn't want to sleep alone in an empty apartment. He decided to hint to his friend.

It's getting late, I don't really think it's a good idea to go look at them in the dark." He waited for the blonde to reply, knowing that he would be offered a place to stay.

His friend opened his mouth. "Do you want to just stay with me for the night?" He felt nervous, as if sasuke's answer would be no. the other man had practically asked him to offer up his place, what was he afraid of?

He saw sasuke nod in agreement and that was it. His mind clouded over and he began to think of having Sasuke beside him. Anywhere, just Sasuke. He feared that having the opportunity to have the man next to him for a whole night would make it even harder when he had to let him go. No, he wouldn't let him go, not even just to move into his own apartment. He knew this would be the consequences of sharing his home but he didn't care. All that mattered was that Sasuke was near him now and that Sasuke wanted to spend a night with him. How many years had it been since he had slept next to him? 'Seven' he replied to his own question. The hospital chair didn't count, it was unintended.

Sasuke knew what he was getting himself into from the moment that he had hinted to Naruto where he wanted to sleep for the night. He knew how Naruto felt about him and he thought perhaps being near him may torture his friend. It might even lead him on. He weighed the options and realized that if sleeping near him became an issue, that it would be alright because in all honesty maybe he wouldn't be leading Naruto on at all. He did not know if the blonde had sexual feeling towards him but after all of the things that had happened throughout the day he concluded that this was the way he felt towards Naruto. Somewhere inside himself he knew from the moment that he had seen and heard Naruto's heart beat in that field that it was not just a physical attraction. It was fondness. It was adoration and affection. Perhaps it was love. So it would be alright, to be with the dobe he meant. If it happened that is. He was content with the notion.

"Ok, let's go home then," he said with a cautious voice, afraid that it was all a dream. His voice had crackled, his throat dry. He felt the tingle in his body again.

He looked at his friend with hair like ink and then started in the direction of his apartment.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

Sasuke is released from the hospital and his punishment is to be followed and guarded by the Anbu. He finds Naruto in the training grounds and overhears Naruto talking to himself about his feelings for Sasuke. He approaches him and they begin to spar. They enjoy themselves until Naruto allows his anger to take over and he attacks Sasuke with full strength. He manages to tackle him and pin him to the ground by straddling him as he scolds Sasuke for hurting him and everyone else. Naruto finds himself aroused and they retreat back to his apartment. Naruto cannot help himself and decides to touch himself in his shower as Sasuke looks around his apartment. Later they are joined by Konohamaru for lunch. Sasuke is warned not to hurt Naruto by the young ninja and Naruto invites him to stay for the night. Readers discover that Sasuke might be beginning to feel love for his blonde idiot.


	4. Chapter 4

The Way That We Are

Chapter 4

When they arrived up the stairs and in front of the apartment door, Naruto fumbled with his keys. On the way there he had dangled his hand next to Sasuke's and their fingers had briefly touched several times. Neither man commented on this and so Naruto was still in a daze.

He allowed his nerves to shiver through him and stopped to catch his breath. He lined the key at the lock and tried again. It slid into place and clicked as he turned it. It had been waiting for their return.

The light was turned on as he made his way to the kitchen. He could feel Sasuke following closely behind him as if afraid of what awaited them in the dark. He laid the green tomato on the counter and took off his jacket.

"What will you do with it?" Sasuke inquired of him, still holding onto his uneaten tomato as if it were treasure.

'It probably is treasure to him right now' the fox whispered from inside.

"I wanted to make something for you." It was a recipe he had learned from Garaa a few years ago and had immediately known that it was something he wanted to share with his best friend. Those moments were the worst of Sasuke's absence, when he found something to tell or ask the raven, there would be no chance to do so. No chance to hear a reply.

"I know you don't like sugar, but it's simple and not too sweet if you know how to make it right," he continued. He could feel black eyes tracing him as he bent down to pull a frying pan from a cabinet. The tin can of sugar came next, this one from above his head.

He lit a match and used it to ignite the burner on the stove. He noticed Sasuke was leaning over the counter watching him intently, probably curious. 'We're cooking together,' he noticed.

When the pan was hot he added the water, a few tablespoons full. It boiled and he added the sugar. As it melted he pulled a knife from a drawer. "Wash the tomato in the sink," he said to the other ninja and he was obeyed.

He cut the unripe tomato into slices then he diced them. His cuts were even and steady. Sasuke felt impressed by his skill with the knife and felt himself growing hot again. Next the diced tomatoes were placed in the melted sugar to be caramelized.

"Some butter for luck Tamari would say," he said aloud as he added the yellow cream.

When he was satisfied, he turned the stove off and dipped the tomatoes onto two plates. They smelled sweet and sour at the same time. Sasuke's mouth began to water again.

"Try them," he commanded and he watched Sasuke's mouth close around the food on his chopsticks. He saw the pale face become expressive. Sasuke had liked them. He could get used to his rival sitting in his kitchen, sharing food with him.

He hadn't tasted anything like it before. It was new. It was tasty. He wanted more. "Where did you learn to make this?"

"I learned it in Sand. Turns out they import a lot of tomatoes there and they invent all kinds of ways to eat them. Something about how they're not sweet enough to rot the soul but just enough to be a treat." He laughed. He felt overjoyed that he had made Sasuke happy, if only for a moment.

"Did you like them?" he wanted confirmation from Sasuke.

"Yeah they were pretty good for being made by a dead last like you." He smiled.

"Hey, Teme! Be nice or I'll throw you out!" He smiled back.

The comment was left unattended and he began to eat the red tomato after he was done with the green. His teeth sunk into the flesh. His canines pierced the skin and he felt the juice burst into his mouth, it was his favorite part. The juice that escaped fell from the sides of his mouth and over his fingers to slide down his wrist.

The knot in his belly became known as he noticed Naruto watching him eat. He felt the air change. The chakra levels shift. He knew then that he was desired. Naruto wanted him, was enjoying the sight of him, and this was alright. He licked his lips.

When the tomato was gone, he wiped his mouth and licked up the fruit's spilled blood from his wrist. He missed a spot, but Naruto did not. He reached across the table and wiped it off his face with his thumb.

The rough extremity brushed his skin as the juice was swept away. He shivered. The blue eyes in front of him started out calm but hungry and then changed to something like fear. He realized that in that moment Naruto was afraid of something. He stayed still as if not to provoke the other.

The blonde had realized what he had done. He had touched Sasuke again with no good reason and this was surely to push him away. He did not want to mess up; he did not want to lose the only chance he may have had of having Sasuke be near him. He felt anxious.

Sasuke let the tension go. "It was very good, thank you." He suddenly felt shy. It was something that he did not experience often and he was unsure of how to handle himself.

Naruto was distracted by this sudden effort of kindness from his rival but he was relieved. "Good I'm glad. I'm gonna wash the dishes. You can watch TV on the couch if you want, I'll just be a minute."

"Actually can I take a shower?" he asked like the polite house guest he was supposed to be.

"Uh, yeah sure." He said it shakily. He walked to the bedroom and handed Sasuke some clothing to sleep in, a tee shirt and sweat pants. Next he led him to the bathroom and showed him where he kept the towels.

As he heard the water start he began to think of what he had done in there earlier that day and he couldn't shake the thought that Sasuke now stood where he had. He couldn't help himself. He knew that Sasuke was naked at that moment, the water washing away the residue of sweat, mud, his blood.

Suddenly he was hot all over again. His pants became tight and once again he found himself hard and thinking about his rival.

He decided to put on a set of pajamas to ease the pain of his restricting pants. He washed the dishes, trying to make himself soft again. Like before it did little good. Subconsciously he realized that he had been pushing himself against the edge of the sink. It felt good he concluded.

He listened for the water in the shower and when he caught the faint sound of it he did it again. And again. He imagined Sasuke under the water. Sasuke running his hands through his silky hair to wash it. Sasuke rubbing his skin with soap. The hard sink began to feel amazing as he continued to rub himself against it. Then in his mind Sasuke was in front of him, bent over wanting this. He grinded into the imaginary Sasuke and remembered how his name had been called earlier. He could no longer hold it in. He quickly shoved his hand down the front of his pajamas and took hold of his member for the second time that day. He pumped it twice before he felt his release. He panted.

He was embarrassed of his newly soiled bottoms and that he had touched himself again while Sasuke was in his presence. He frowned, pushed the sweaty hair from his forehead.

"What are you frowning about? I didn't take that long in the shower." He heard Sasuke's voice say. He looked up.

While he had been in the shower he had thoroughly thought it all through in his mind as he had done when he woke up in the hospital. He was here in Konoha with a very small punishment. He was spending time with the idiot and slowly realizing that he wasn't such an idiot after all. He felt protected and safe with his rival and he decided that he wanted to stay here in the village. Naruto loved him and wanted him. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't true, but he felt the same way about the dobe. This would be ok, this time he was spending here with the other man. He sighed. The heat and the knot came back but he was able to suppress it.

When he entered the kitchen he saw his friend frowning and sweaty. The air smelled strange. He couldn't place it.

"I'm not frowning, I'm just tired Teme." Naruto replied. He was quite proud of this answer and tried to quickly think of a way to change his pants without the other noticing. It was very likely that this would not happen. But again he was an optimistic man and he slid past Sasuke into his room.

He grabbed another pair of bottoms as the smaller man watched him. "I had just grabbed these off the floor when I went to wash the dishes. They're dirty. I'll be right back."

The nerves in his stomach kept him too occupied to notice Naruto's strange behavior. He walked around the room searching for a futon he could lay on the floor next to the bed. He found none. Defeated and tired from his long day he sat on the edge of the bed and allowed himself to fall backwards.

When Naruto walked into the room and saw Sasuke's position, he couldn't help but remember what he had touched himself to while he was in the shower. Sasuke indeed was on his bed.

The house guest sat up and inquired where the futon was.

"I don't get a lot of guests around here so I never needed one." He felt embarrassed at his lack of sleepovers.

"So I guess when your girlfriends come over they sleep in your bed then." Sasuke had a double motive for his statement. It was a joke and also an interrogation technique.

The tan ninja looked down at the floor. His nervous habit on hand. "I don't have any girlfriends, Sasuke. But I guess if I did, yeah they'd sleep in my bed."

Sasuke probably shouldn't have but he felt relieved at this. He should feel bad for his friend to be so lonely, but he couldn't. He wanted to make a joke to see how the blonde would react, then he'd know what to expect from the other. He wanted to provoke the confession he knew was eventually coming. Naruto had also not called him by name since the field. He wanted to hear it again any way possible.

"Then I guess I don't need a futon then." He said, smirk intact.

"No way, I'm not sleeping on the couch, bastard!" Naruto misinterpreted.

He sighed. Then he actually smiled. It caught the other man off guard he could tell. "I meant that if you were willing to share your bed with other people then it should be fine if we share. I don't want to sleep on the couch after having to sleep in that hospital bed last night and there's nothing for me to sleep on the floor with." he paused. Waited for the yelling, anything to begin. It did not.

"Oh ok. That's fine, but don't kick me during your nightmares Teme."

"My nightmares?" He asked unsure of what was meant.

"Yeah you probably don't remember but when we had to camp together on missions you'd scream in your sleep almost every night. I thought you were having nightmares. You had one last night just after you fell asleep." Naruto looked at Sasuke's face. It was a confused expression. A sorry expression.

"Oh, I didn't know that what I saw and reacted to in my dreams was projected on the outside." He said it as if it were a riddle to be solved. He was curious why he hadn't been yelled at for them years ago.

"Why didn't you say something a long time ago?"

"What about your nightmares during the missions? I didn't have too. Usually I got them to stop before you made me lose too much sleep. Sakura and Kakashi slept through them I guess, they never said anything to me."

"How did you get them to stop?" he wanted to know desperately for some reason.

"Sometimes when I slept over at Iruka Sensei's house I would have nightmares. He used to hold my hand and he told me once that we have nightmares because we're searching for something or someone and holding their hand makes them feel like they found it." He paused. Waited for a reaction. There was only silence and so he continued, "So I used to hold your hand and whisper to you that it was ok. I did it last night too. Don't make fun of me though, I was just trying to help and if you would have been super loud, you could have gotten us spotted and killed in the middle of the night." He was out of breath at the end of this confession.

Sasuke was surprised. The only word that he could think of at the time was _grateful_. He felt grateful that Naruto had done this for him. 'He probably didn't know it that long ago, but he loved me even then.' His eyes fell to look at Naruto's hands. _Your hands can bruise, your hands can heal_ he had once heard someone say about someone else. Naruto's hands had fought him. They had once trained beside his own. They had picked him up against his will a few days ago and they had brought him here. They had cooked him green fried tomatoes and they had held his own in his sleep. They were marvelous strong calloused things.

"Thank you." He said. "Thank you," he said again.

Silence passed between them like a rumor. It spread around them and engulfed them. They both let out a breath to create noise within this silent frame. He opened his mouth to continue the joke that he had foolishly started before.

"See I won't kick you if I have a nightmare because you'll just make me stop." It came out like a piece of comfort.

"You're not mad that I was holding your hand?" he did not understand how this could be his bastard. He was right earlier. This one was the same but different in many ways.

"No. I had a nightmare. A nightmare is like an injury that one acquires during sleep. You were simply mending my wound, how could I be angry?" the words rolled off his tongue. He wanted to add more, to be more emotional, more feminine in his answer. 'I want him to hold my hand' he scolded himself for not speaking up.

An awkward giggle left the fox container and he motioned for Sasuke to move aside so that he could get into bed. He lay on the side of the bed opposite from the one touching the wall. He wanted Sasuke to have that space so that he would be able to tell if the raven had gotten out of bed. He knew the anbu were watching his friend but he did not want to risk losing him again just because he hadn't felt his departure.

Sasuke crawled into the space where Naruto had obviously wanted him to and settled himself. He faced the wall and felt comforted that nothing could harm him like this or catch him off guard. The wall wouldn't hurt him and the blonde behind him would let nothing past him. Yes, this was a safe way to sleep.

Naruto felt the heat pulsing from Sasuke's back as it pressed against his own. He lie awake until he heard Sasuke's breaths become much more even, slower. When he knew the pale man was asleep, he turned on his other side, his chest touching Sasuke's strong back. The heat from the one in front of him kept him warm. The heat spread throughout the front of his body until it got to his groin.

He had just noticed that the curve of Sasuke's behind lay resting against his loins. He took a deep breath and concentrated on turning back around to face the other way. As he was planning to move, Sasuke stirred. He did not want to wake up his friend. He stilled himself. He took another breath and tried to relax.

The fox would not allow him to rest. 'Look Kit, he's in your bed wearing your clothes. Doesn't it feel like he belongs here? He looks so comfortable pressed into you like that. He's a content little nit isn't he?' it egged Naruto's hormones on.

'Shut up you pervert.' He hissed inside his head to his dangerous pet. The fox wanted Naruto to let go, to do as he pleased to the small man in front of him that he loved. He wanted him to take him, to express his animalistic side.

Naruto resisted him. He laid still and tried to clear his mind. Like most things he tried with his own mind, this did not work either. Instead he decided to lie still and focus on the rhythm of his friend's breathing to calm him down and help him sleep. The more he concentrated on Sasuke's breathing, the more he noticed that the man pressed into him slightly each time that he exhaled. This was not helping.

Again, he couldn't help it. He knew what would happen to his body and he decided to allow it to do so. There was nothing that he could do to stop it; he just wouldn't do anything to it once it did. He allowed himself to match his breath to Sasuke's and moved in the same rhythm. He allowed himself to think of Sasuke curve and the wondrous heat coming from him. He let the heat overtake him this time and felt himself grow.

He had never been so close to anyone before. Of course he had slept beside Sakura a time or two, comforting her until she fell asleep. But even then the erection he received from her was nothing compared to this. Now that he had felt this, he realized the one with her was probably only because she was a female and she was physically close to him, not because it was Sakura. Yeah he loved her, but that was a long time ago and it was not the love that he felt for Sasuke, not ever.

He grew against the delicious curve in front of him and it astounded him at how amazing it was, at how amazing Sasuke was. He closed his eyes, taking in this feeling he may never have the chance to feel again. He made sure that Sasuke remained sleeping and then he pressed himself gently into the other man. It felt like nothing else. He had never pressed himself against another human being like this before. He pressed as hard as he thought would not disturb the avenger and he held himself there.

Although he was clothed, it still felt like he was buried in Sasuke. He had positioned himself between the globes of that curve and as they relaxed together, it felt like he was being held there. 'Doesn't the bastard feel good?' the fox whispered in the dark.

He gave up the fight and indulged the nine tails, 'Fuck, his ass feels great against me. The way his body is shaped, it feels like I was made to fit behind him when we sleep like this and it feels like we're meant for this. It feels like my cock's gonna explode. I want to be inside him so bad.' His breath came out hot.

His head was cloudy. He hadn't known what he meant by _like we're meant for this_. He didn't know what _this_ was. He decided he could think of that at another time, he had more pressing matters to attend to. Yes, pressing matters. Again he pressed into his friend, this time a little harder. The sensation of pleasure shot through him and he moaned. He tried not to let it out but he was unprepared for it.

He was worried that he had woken the object of his attention. He had. He slowed his breath and closed his eyes, remaining completely still. His member still twitched against the firmness in front of him but he had hoped to play it off as a normal reaction that occurs during sleep.

Sasuke stirred and opened his eyes. He took a deep breath as if to clear the sleep away. He was still tired. He had dreamed that all this wasn't real, that he was still back in the chamber that he had slept in during his time with the snake man. He thought he could feel the damp walls closing in on him and he could have sworn he heard the footsteps echoing down the hall. This was not a nightmare but it was not something pleasant either. The candle he had constantly allowed to burn beside his bed each night had gone out. This is what had woken him.

His eyes strained to see in the dark and when they adjusted he noticed the wall in front of him. It was alright in that moment because he realized that this wasn't a dream. This was real and he was really in the village in Naruto's warm bed with the man pressed against him. He stopped his thoughts and rewound them. Naruto was pressed against him. He could feel the hard chest against his back, the strong legs pressed to the back of his own, and the waist lined up with his, and then he felt it as well.

It was the second time he had ever felt Naruto's hardened member against him. The first time he didn't quite understand his feelings for the tall blonde, but this time he knew what he wanted from him. He wanted to be taken care of, he was done fighting. He wanted to be loved; he was done being an avenger. He wanted him to be near him always, so that he could soak up the comfort the other offered him. He had figured out that he wanted him. He wanted him inside of him. This last part was decided here and now and he could not stop himself as he had done before when Naruto had pinned him down and he had first felt that hardness.

This time it was most likely that the idiot was erect from whatever he was dreaming about in his sleep. He knew that when males sleep, there blood often rushes to their groins causing them to get erections several times during the night. This must have been one of those times.

He didn't care. He felt Naruto pressed in between his cheeks. He could feel how big the member was and felt the urge to back up to feel more of it. He did. He pushed himself against it subtly, so if caught he could use the excuse that he was getting situated in bed for comfort. He stretched, purposely pressing even harder.

The organ twitched and he could hear the dobe's breath hitch in his sleep. He felt the heat pool in his stomach and he looked down at himself and saw his own member grow hard. He brushed it with a hand over his pants. He hissed. This felt good.

He had not touched himself since the last time that he had lived in the village. He had no desire to do so while he was accomplishing his goal. He would be out of practice he knew, it had been seven years since he had done this. He had never before thought of anything particular as he did so either. This time he understood would be different. He would be thinking about the hardness behind him.

He pulled his pants down slightly just enough to free his erection. Then he wrapped both hands around himself. It was an odd but familiar sensation. He backed up on the organ behind him again and thrust in his hand as he allowed himself to lay back into his original position. He did this several times, each thrust backwards and forwards slow and controlled in case the dobe woke up and he needed an excuse. He stroked himself, his cock hard and hot in his hand. He began to feel the pleasure build up and create a fire upon his skin. He had to release or he would overheat. He stopped moving backwards and began to pump himself with more fervor. He lost himself. He couldn't stop his movements and he knew that his climax was close. His breathing was labored. Then he felt it poke him from behind again and he suddenly remembered who he was lying next to. "Naruto" he moaned softly as his pants became too loud. He didn't want to get caught but it felt too good.

"Naru" he moaned again, this one more like a whisper than the last. It was coming, the release he had craved.

The body behind him moaned as well. He stopped moving his hand and peeked behind him to check if he had been caught. The other had his eyes closed and it was assumed that he was still asleep. He glanced down at the blonde's member. It had come out of the hole in the front of his pajamas and stood erect, its veins clearly visible and leaking pre-cum from the tip. Sasuke licked his lips.

He looked back up to Naruto's sleeping face. He could no longer do this. The adrenaline rush he had gotten when he believed that he had been caught warded off his orgasm and his hard on. He would have to just try again later. He lay back down and thought of what it would be like to sleep this way from now on.

As he lay there pretending that sleep had taken him long ago, he felt his friend pressing back against his erection. He thought he was dreaming. It felt good. He relaxed and allowed Sasuke to do as he pleased whether he was doing so intentionally or not. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that Sasuke was here in the village in his bed, wearing his clothes and pressing the curve of his ass into his cock.

It began to feel incredible. He opened one of his eyes and caught a glance at his dark haired friend. The friend had his member out of his pants and was holding it. It was stroked. The body pressed back against his own again and the hand pumped the hot flesh. He resisted the urge to reach his hand around and grab it. He wanted to be the one to make Sasuke feel pleasure. Then he cleared his head.

He couldn't believe this. He couldn't believe that his best friend was touching himself in his bed next to him. He felt confused and jealous. He was jealous of whatever it was that had aroused Sasuke. He wanted to be the only one to make the dark haired ninja tremble in want. He felt discouraged at the thought that perhaps Sasuke wasn't even attracted to him or any other male. Maybe he didn't realize he was pressing himself into Naruto as he was touching himself.

His thoughts were proven wrong as Sasuke got into what he was doing. The pace was picked up and the touching he could tell had become more intense. He couldn't help himself again. Sasuke's ass against him, hitting him in a steady pattern brought him immeasurable pleasure. He heard Sasuke whisper a name to accompany his actions and Naruto lost it. He gently pressed back, wanting to grab the slender hips in front of him and slam himself into the warmth beside him.

Again the name fell out of the mouth and Naruto knew that by the urgency in the voice that his friend was very close. He pressed himself again into the curve and moaned.

It stopped then. They body in front of him ceased all movement and he shut his eyes. He could feel the black pools examining him, searching for a sign that he had been awake the whole time. They found none as they turned back to the wall and closed.

He was not satisfied. Yes he was satisfied as a whole. Sasuke was in his bed and he had practically had a sexual encounter with him, had almost cum from his body being pressed into his own. He had Sasuke all to himself at the moment and he knew that he would never have to let go of him, he would not allow it to happen. He was content that he had the part he had been missing back in his life now. But his body was not satisfied. He wanted release.

He felt grumpy, irritated. He lay still behind his best friend and waited for sleep. Only when the fox begged him to rest did he close his eyes and begin to dream.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

In this chapter, Naruto brings Sasuke back to his apartment and cooks something for him. As Sasuke takes a shower he realizes that he is in love with the blonde and that it is alright to be spending time with the other man. While doing the dishes, Naruto cannot help but touch himself again and is relieved that he is not caught. He also admits to the raven that he doesn't have any girlfriends. The two decide to share the bed and Naruto cannot help but become aroused by Sasuke's presence. Sasuke awakens in the middle of the night and begins to attend to his erection with Naruto behind him. He does not realize that Naruto is really awake and he is startled when his rival makes a sound. They both fall asleep without the pleasure of release and hope that the next day would be as good as the last.


	5. Chapter 5

The Way We Are

Chapter 5

_He had been dreaming a memory. It was as he remembered. No, it was altered. It was a collage of what was reality, what he had long ago wished had happened, and his current subconscious desires. It was a work of art._

_He was twelve again. An orange outfit and a blue headband. A feeling of being left out. A desperation to be recognized as something that ought not to be ignored. They had been training in the forest a little off from the village. Team 7 was learning the mechanics of walking up trees for the first time. Sakura excelled at this task without one falter. Her chakra was strong and she was quite academic, and so she understood what was needed to reach the top of the leafy trees. Kakashi was proud. He praised her and a small approving smile could be seen in his dark uncovered eye. They vanished from the dream then, leaving Naruto and his rival alone. Their presence was no longer necessary to the memory. _

_He remembered Sakura's pity filled voice whispering softly to him to concentrate his chakra into the soles of his feet, but here in this painting in his sleep she did not. This time he knew what he was doing ad began preforming perfectly. Sasuke however, did not. The raven struggled and fell several times. Bruises began to form where the earth had beaten his pale skin. Each time he failed, he rose and began again on his attempt at a vertical walk. He saw his teammate's success and scowled at Naruto. Perhaps he was jealous._

_The blonde perched himself on a thick branch and indulged himself in a laugh. "What's the matter Sasuke, finally something you're not good at?"_

_The reply he received was a harder glare, a look of shame buried deep underneath. His heart ached. Long ago he would have loved for that look to emerge on his rival's face but now it made him ache all over, even in the tips of his fingertips. He jumped from his branch as he allowed the rough bark to scrape the skin on his hands as he pushed himself off._

"_Teme, do you want me to help you?" His voice was softer now than when he had bee taunting._

"_No I don't need help from someone like you." Sasuke's words stung him like frost biting at exposed skin._

_The dream suddenly displayed a taste of what his hormones and heart truly desired. Next he was behind Sasuke. He placed his palms on the raven's belly. It was flat and smooth under the blue cloth, not yet with muscle and scars. He added a small amount of pressure where he held him. It was a bold but gentle gesture._

"_Focus the chakra from your stomach and transfer it to the bottom of your feet," he whispered into a pale ear and he could hear uneven breaths. The chakra was relocated._

_Then he was urging his friend to walk towards the tree, never letting go of the warmth beneath his hands. When they made it to the wood he pressed his chest into Sasuke's small back just as he had done that night before he fell into the dream. _

"_Lean back against me as you put your feet on the tree. I'll hold you up until you get the hang of your feet sticking to the bark, then I'll let go when you're ready to walk up it." He felt the body against him become nervous._

"_Ok. Don't drop me backwards."_

"_I would never. Actually years from now you'll realize that I'll never let go of you. I'll promise you if you promise to stop running away from me for good." He was looking for the twelve year old Sasuke in his dream to want to stay instead of pursuing an empty revenge._

"_What are you talking about? Has the ramen destroyed your tiny brain?"_

"_Ah it's nothing," he let out a small chuckle then sobered, "Just say you'll stay here with me."_

_Then Sasuke said something he had said before outside the dream. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm not particularly happy to be here, but I'm not devastated either." Naruto smiled from behind his friend._

_Then the dream shifted again and they were on the ground after the training. Sweat lay on top of their skin and their shirts were soaked through with the results of their hard work. Unlike what had really happened at the time, they laid side by side almost touching. _

_He laid still watching his friend's breath cause his chest to move up and down in fast respiration patterns. He could feel his own body moving in this way. He noticed that wet black hair stuck just beside an equally black eye. His fingers twitched. He ached to reach over and move the hair so that he could get a better look at those captivating ink wells, and so he did just as he had done a few times already in the world he lived in while awake._

_This time Sasuke held his fingers in place as he brushed them across his skin. Then his tan fingers were brought to the avenger's lips and the tips were pressed against the softness. A tongue slipped out of the pink slivers and caressed his fingerprints. He was surprised._

"_You're my best friend." The lips said and Naruto remembered when they had said that he was their closest friend. This was better. It was more concrete and it filled him with a light. The light spread throughout him and felt similar to the blinding brightness he had felt as he had once embraced his mother's remaining chakra in his mind. He looked at the sky within the dream. _

"_You're my best friend too Sas', you've always been, you know?" he announced to the air. He looked back to his friend and saw an empty space. He panicked. Dream Sasuke lied, said he wouldn't leave him, now he was gone. He felt around for the warmth that would have been left by the absent body but felt none. The ground was cold. His heart sped up he called out the name, just as he did for several years and still received no answer._

He sat up in bed with his eyes opened wide and his heart racing. The breaths that left his mouth were rapid and frenzied. He had woken up this way many times during the years, each time having woken up from a dream in which he spent with Sasuke.

He closed his eyes and rubbed a sweaty hand over them to calm himself. 'I never stop dreaming about him. He left me again. How will I ever bring him back?' he stopped his train of thought and realized that he had already done that. He suddenly remembered that his best friend had fallen asleep next to him last night.

He quickly searched the other side of the bed where he had left Sasuke before he entered his dream. It was empty. He reached out a hand and swiped it over the sheets as he had done to the ground only moments ago within his head. It was cold. He panicked again.

He began looking around the room from where he sat on the bed and saw no sign of his target. He rose from the mattress. It was a clumsy movement with a foot stuck in the blanket, a tangled rope. When freed, he called out.

He moved quickly through the apartment, frantically searching each corner. Every room was checked and all were empty. He tried but could not stop the thoughts in his mind, 'Oh no oh no he's gone. He's gone. He's gone. I have to find him. I have to get my gear. I will find him.' He started searching through his drawers for clothes, not caring which ones they were.

He looked around once more as he was reaching for his weapons pouch and stopped. He let out a sigh. He was relieved. He could feel the anbu's presence outside of his apartment walls. He calmed himself. If they were there then it meant that there hadn't been an emergency. He was sure if Sasuke would have snuck out at least one of them would have been able to detect his absence and he could feel all of them in their places.

He engaged his well learned sage mode and felt around for his missing friend. He found him just off from his living room and then he realized he really was an idiot sometimes. He walked to the room in question and glanced out of the glass door.

He was sitting on the railing of Naruto's balcony. He watched the civilians and ninja walk through the village, smiling faces and laughter. Occasionally he'd see a frown, a set of tears. He did not think this type of life would interest him, but it did. It amazed him to see how people interacted with one another and he saw how they were unafraid. There were no threats of everyday life inside these village walls and they all felt protected.

Then he remembered that Naruto had saved them during Pain's attack and defended them during the war. They most likely felt protected because of the dobe. He sighed. He felt protected by the dobe too.

His mind wandered to last night. His revelation of feeling love for the idiot and wanting him resurfaced in his mind. He still could not believe that he would ever fall in love with his rival, but this is not the part he allowed himself to think about. Instead he recalled the pleasure he had gotten from feeling Naruto behind him as they laid in bed. It was no secret to him that he was attracted to males. He had known since he was a child as all of the girls clung to him. He decided that they were too fragile, too breakable, and too impressionable.

He was attracted to power, strength, and the ability to be lethal, he decided long ago. So being attracted to another man was not a surprise. What surprised him was that even though Naruto was all these things, he also had other qualities that attracted him to the blonde. Naruto was loyal, optimistic, kindhearted, and nonjudgmental. He had the ability to crush anything he desired and owned the respect from all of those around him. He could make anyone smile, even Sasuke himself, and always found the brighter side to everything. Then in his line of thought Sasuke found that the most important part of Naruto's desirable qualities were that even though Sasuke had ran away with the determination to kill several people, Naruto did not judge him. He believed that there was good in Sasuke, and he made Sasuke realize that perhaps there was. He had never given up on the avenger. He had followed him all over the world, getting in and out of trouble just to find him and he had never asked for anything in return other than his arrival back in the village, but at the time he had assumed that it was more for Sakura and everyone else's sake than his own.

Yes, Naruto would make a good mate in this life. Yes, after all of the running away he had done, he desired to captured and kept forever by the idiot.

It was decided. He would bring up the reason for Naruto's determination in making him come back. Although changed in many ways, he still had his pride intact so confessing to his rival first was not an option. Uchihas are never the ones begging for recognition; they were simply entitled to it from the start.

He took a deep breath and began to ponder the actual pleasure from the night before. He stopped. He could hear the glass door slide open and he felt the blue eyes staring at the arch of his back.

"What are you thinking about?" the blonde ninja asked of him. 'Last night' whispered the fox from inside him. He moved towards him and sat beside his friend. His shoulder bumped against the other's as he situated himself.

There was silence. A breath. More silence. He couldn't bare the quiet so he broke it. "You weren't in bed when I woke up. I was worried. I looked everywhere but I couldn't find you."

Still there was only silence in return.

"I thought you were gone," he whispered, expecting to be ignored.

"Not everyone is a lazy idiot like you. I didn't think that just because you were still sleeping I had to be also." This was Sasuke. His new and old parts combined.

He couldn't let it go. He remembered the Sasuke from his dream. "Promise me that you won't leave again." it was a command and a desperate plea at the same time.

"I told you before that I wouldn't." as he had stated to himself earlier, his pride was indeed still intact and it would not allow him to respond any differently. He would not give a poetic and pathetic answer. He was not a girl, he was not outwardly emotional as a lot of them were. He instantly regretted the coldness he had presented as soon as he saw the pain in the other's face. Naruto looked frightened. Absolutely terrified that he would lose Sasuke again. His ego was still present as well, you see.

He decided to mend the cut he had just created, "I don't make promises, they're so easy to break. I said that I wasn't going to leave and I meant it."

He saw the relief in Naruto's face and he saw the other man's body relax its tension away. The mouth opened and he watched the words come out. "What were you thinking about?" he tried again.

"I was wondering why you chased after me like you did even though I made it very clear what my goals were and that I would not be coming back here. Even though I was cruel to you and would have killed you if I could've, you still pursued me. I was wondering how you could keep after me knowing that things would never be the same way that they were when we were kids."

Naruto digested the information slowly and glanced at the question underneath. He knew the answer. He knew why he had chased Sasuke to hell and back just to have a chance to be in the same area as him. He knew but he was not ready to give the simplest answer he could offer. He had not thought about this before. He had not thought up some elaborate plan to confess his long time love for his best friend that would surely win him a solid punch to the face as a reward. He could not think of a way to get out of confessing right here and now, so he told as much truth as he could without giving himself away.

"You were the first bond I created. You're the first one that noticed I existed, like truly existed. You were mean to me, but it wasn't true hatred like from everyone else. You were the only one to challenge me and not just to make fun of me." He paused, caught his breath, scanned his mind for more words.

"You were my first bond and I didn't want to lose our friendship. I had no other friends but you. You were the reason I trained so hard. I wanted to be as good as you to make you see me as your equal, hell even today I train as hard as I do for your sake. First it was to be noticed by you, then it was to beat you, then it was to bring you back, and even now the last couple of days I've been training to be able to protect you." His tan face blossomed a blush but he continued on.

"Anyway, even though you were my friend it didn't mean that I was yours so when you told me I was your closest friend, I knew that I couldn't give you up. I was sure that I would never find another real friend and I couldn't let you go. I couldn't lose you by my side and I couldn't become as strong as I wanted to be without you there to push me to work harder. I chased you because I needed you in my life and because everyone else did too. We were a family and when you left it felt like we broke apart and I didn't want to have to let go of the memories I had with you. If I stopped chasing after you, I would have had to. You would have been out casted from the village and I probably would have never had the chance to be near you again. I missed you so much." he was out of breath and he was nervous about what Sasuke's reaction would be.

"I couldn't let you go." He whispered one last time, more to himself than to anyone else that might have been listening.

All of what Naruto had said was no longer a surprise to him. it would have been a few days ago but now that he had spent time with him and understood Naruto's secret, he knew the words would come. He let the silence hang in the air for a few moments before he grabbed the blonde's attention.

"You speak as if I had belonged to you." His voice was serious but it could have been interpreted as a smart remark. It was not.

"Well I guess I kinda did feel like you belonged to me. You were my best friend and my rival. My family and my first bond. So I guess I felt like I couldn't give you up because from the way this place treated me, I thought you were the only thing that would ever belong to me. Why give up the only thing you'll ever have. As a Konoha citizen, I felt like you belonged to us and I didn't want you joining any other because this was your home. This is where you belong."

"I never belonged to anyone." he watched Sasuke's mouth say.

"I didn't mean it like that; I guess I mean you were a part of me. That sounds cheesy doesn't it? I just felt like we belonged beside one another training and doing missions. Like, I always imagined us together."

"What do you mean together?" he pressed, looking for the confession that was sure to follow.

"Beside one another. Accomplishing our goals together. Being friends until we get all old and wrinkly and die, just together." The last few words came out like a sigh.

"Ok. From now on, I'll allow it. We can train and fight together and be friends until we die as long as you stop being such an idiot."

Naruto was stunned at his companion's words. This was unusual of the other man he noted, but it did not stop him from feeling lighter than before. He felt happy. He smiled and his hand went to the back of his head as it often did.

"Ok, let's eat together then, I'm starving. Do you think the ramen shop is open yet?"

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

This chapter begins within Naruto's dream. He dreams of a combination of a memory and what he would like to have happened during his training in chakra control. He wakes up to find Sasuke missing from his bed and panics. He finds him outside on the balcony of his apartment. Sasuke contemplates all of the feelings he has just noticed that he has and realizes that Naruto not only has all of the qualities he finds attractive, but also has other ones that he did not expect himself to find appealing. While in conversation, Naruto admits to Sasuke that he had chased after him for so many years because he felt that he needed Sasuke in his life and he didn't want to let him go. The Chapter ends with their trip for breakfast, lunch, food.


	6. Chapter 6

The Way That We Are

Chapter 6

She stood outside the flower shop and watched as Ino prepared for her busy day. There was to be a wedding in a few days and the bride would be in to make her bouquet selection. Hinata would love the combination of moon flowers and morning glories. Such opposites reflected her strong but shy personality.

She lost herself in the day dream of her own future wedding. Years ago she imagined Sasuke as her groom but that had completely dissolved with his attempt to kill her. She would have hated him if Naruto hadn't reasoned with her that the attempt only came out of self-defense.

These days, she was missing her husband in her day dream. She hadn't found anyone else to fill the space standing at the future alter, so instead she focused on the details of the event. The flowers would be a peachy pink she decided. Salmon for dinner. Long modern dress, not a traditional kimono.

She paused in her planning when she saw them. they walked down the road beside one another, one laughing and the other with a small smile planted on his defined face. She was surprised to see that they hadn't been fighting.

Sasuke seemed to be completely immersed in all that Naruto let fall from his mouth. All of his attention belonged to the blonde and this was strange.

Normally they would be arguing and shouting insults. No, she corrected herself. That was years ago. This was a new beginning for Sasuke in the village and so it also meant a new beginning with Naruto. Of course they would be different towards one another.

They were together this early in the morning and they were enjoying each other's company. Sasuke didn't seem annoyed and he hadn't run away yet. Her closest teammate seemed to be doing a good job at entertaining him and for once, it gave her a reason to be happy for him. She knew that he loved the raven beside him and she realized that everything would be alright with them. Even if Sasuke never in a thousand years felt the same love for Naruto, they would be alright because they were friends.

They hadn't seen her yet. She stood still as if they wouldn't detect her if she didn't move. She caught some of the conversation.

"And then when we checked the bottom of the ship for food, it was all covered by mushrooms! Like seriously, everything was ruined by fungus and there was no more food so we starved for a few days. Then we gave up and we were like 'let's just eat them,' so Guy Sensei and I ate all of them. We got high. And then when I told Kiba about it he didn't believe me!" He laughed something hearty and she heard Sasuke snicker lightly. She hadn't heard him laugh before.

She had heard of the event he was talking about though. It was during his trip to that secret island just before the war. She made herself known to them as she walked up to them.

"Good morning guys!" she threw her arms around Naruto in greeting. The embrace was returned and she noticed the bitterness in Sasuke's face. She quickly let go.

She contemplated hugging Sasuke as well, she knew deep inside that she wanted to very much, but then decided that she valued her life a little too much for her to chance it. Sasuke was capable of being dangerous and if she angered him there was no telling how he would react. She was not afraid, she knew she would be protected, but she still did not want to take the risk.

Instead she continued to smile and said, "Good morning Sasuke. Where is Naruto dragging you around to already today?"

The raven did not answer. He offered her a stale expression. He was still not fond of her she could tell. She had interrupted them again.

Naruto didn't want her to feel uncomfortable at his best friend's silence. "We were just getting something to eat. What are you up to?"

He thought about inviting her to come along with them, he really did, but he wasn't ready to share Sasuke yet. He wanted him all to himself.

"I was just watching Ino set up for the day. Hinata's going to pick her flowers today and I wanted to see what her choices were."

"Oh that's right, her wedding is in a few days isn't it? I should congratulate her soon." He couldn't believe she was going to be someone's wife later in the week.

"I think that would make her really happy, Naruto. She wants your approval, to get your opinion."

"Ha, of course I'm happy for her! I just want her to have someone that will take good care of her and make her happy. She's such a good girl, I want her to have a good future. I just kina wish that they would have waited a while, I mean he's only eighteen and she's only my age." He looked at her thoughtfully, searching for an agreement. She picked up on this and indulged him.

"Yeah I wish they wouldn't have rushed it either but she said that after the war, she wanted to get happy as quickly as possible. He really loves her and their family is really pleased with the wedding so I guess they're in a hurry. Don't worry, Neji will be a good to her." She sighed, a content breath.

Sasuke fidgeted beside his best friend. He felt left out of the conversation and this was unacceptable. He glared at her. He didn't hate her. He didn't even mind her presence near him, but the knot in his stomach formed again and the jealousy hit him again in a fast wave. Being jealous was not something he was used to.

She sensed his discomfort and said that she ought to get going to let them eat their breakfast before inviting them both over for dinner sometime soon. She touched his shoulder to say goodbye just as she had done in the hospital room.

When she departed they continued their quest to find something edible. It was quiet until Sasuke spoke.

"Why would it matter to her if you approved of her marriage?" he asked.

"Huh?" The dobe had been lost in the way his hand had almost touched Sasuke's just then.

"Why does Hinata want your blessing?"

"Oh, well we're good friends now and she wants make sure that I'm ok with it I guess. She used to love me, you see? She loved me for a really long time actually." He pictured her pretty face pink with blush and a shy smile.

"So you were with her?" He felt the jealousy grow and then simmer at his irrationality. It did not matter if they were once together, they were not together now.

"No," he laughed. "I didn't even know she liked me until last year before the war started. She stood up for me and told me that she loved me during Pain's attack. She let him beat her badly just for my sake, I thought she was dead."

"You seem awfully fond of her. Why didn't you court her? She's not unattractive."

"Of course she's pretty, she's really beautiful but I couldn't be with her. She was too good for me plus I was already saving my heart for someone else and it wouldn't be right to lead her on. I knew she could never have it so I never bothered to try. I guess after I told her that I couldn't, she started looking elsewhere for someone that could lover her the way she deserved. It was like she finally started living. She wasn't mad at me, she understood.

"Neji confessed to her during the war. They were on the same team and she was injured pretty badly. He didn't want to risk losing her so he told her. I know it's weird that they're from the same family and their cousins but they love each other and I think that's all that matters. Besides they already live together and they won't have to worry about their families getting along." He let a nervous giggle escape.

He thought it over. He had never loved anyone before now and therefore he didn't know what it felt like to love someone that didn't love him back. But this was Naruto that she had loved and he felt empathy for her. He wouldn't know what to do if Naruto were to reject him. Besides, he remembered her. She was a sweet girl, not annoying like the other girls that used to follow him around. She was shy and kind and she always left him alone. Her unhappiness wouldn't do. He took comfort in her new found love with her cousin. He never liked Neji but he knew he would offer her protection and treat her with respect and that was enough for now.

He decided not to press Naruto anymore that day to get a confession. He wanted it to happen just to get it over with. the suspense was eating away at him, but from the way the blonde talked about his heart being saved for someone else, Sasuke thought that maybe he had something planned and it would be best not to ruin it.

He shook away his train of thought. The conversation was focused on Hinata and this was not the time to be thinking about what he wanted to hear.

"Sakura's right. He will be good for her. He's strong, wealthy, respected. He will be a good husband.

"I think so too. I know the last time you saw him he was a bit of an ass, but he changed a lot after the Exams. He's nicer now. While you were gone, he really stuck up for her all the time and made sure she never got picked on by their family." Naruto knew that Sasuke never really got along with Neji and he also wanted to demonstrate to him that it was ok for people to change, that it was ok for Sasuke to be different than before. He would accept him any way that he was. That is how love worked.

"Hey we're here!" he shouted, a little too enthusiastically as he pointed the shop out to his companion.

He pulled a stool out for Sasuke and sat upon his own. He watched the dark haired man get settled and felt the heat rise in his stomach while looking at the curve of the pale neck. He thought about leaning over and pressing his warm lips against the smooth flesh. It would have been soft. It would have been strong underneath his mouth. It would have tasted salty with the sweat of the morning sun.

He controlled himself. He forced himself to look away and addressed the shop owner with an overly loud good morning.

After the food was finished and it became early afternoon, he asked his rival if he had chosen an apartment from the list of vacancies that he kept in his pocket.

Sasuke took a moment to think and went over his options. He thought it rude to invite himself into Naruto's home and yet he did not want to be truly alone. He could not take the nagging memories to resurface in his solitude. He could not deal with them at the time, he was working toward being happy right now and he thought it was something he should finally achieve after exacting revenge for his family's horrid end. Memories would keep him from being happy, especially with Naruto. He did not want to think about how he had tried to kill the blonde without a second thought.

He chose the best option. He would live in the apartment just below the dobe. He would not be completely alone, he was sure that his best friend would be in an out of his apartment quite frequently.

"I was thinking about how I no longer have any property so I don't need a large place. I have nothing to store and all that I plan on buying are some new clothes, I am tired of wearing yours. Since you insist on spending a lot of time with me, I will just live in the apartment in your building." He paused waiting and anticipating a reaction.

He couldn't believe it. When they were kids Sasuke didn't really want to be around him outside missions and they had spent their teenage years playing tag with one another, Naruto always being "it". He could not believe it. Sasuke willingly chose to live in an apartment just under his. Sasuke would live, eat, and sleep near him. He would be close enough that he would be able to feel the other man's chakra through the walls and it would allow him to be sure that Sasuke hadn't disappeared in the middle of future nights. He could not believe it.

"Are you sure, Teme? I mean won't you get annoyed with me so close?" He almost hesitated asking. He definitely did not want his mind to change.

"Do not be mistaken. I have no doubt in my mind that you will annoy me beyond belief." He gave his smirk with mischievous black eyes.

No one could make a face like Sasuke could. It was a contradiction. A smirk to mock. A smirk to comfort. A smirk to play. A smirk to slightly wound. He needed a reason.

"Then why would you choose to live close to me?"

"I already told you. See you're already getting on my nerves? I want a small place and we're friends so we should live close to one another. Why not?"

He smiled. Sasuke had said it. He had said that they were friends. It came out of Sasuke's mouth this time and not his own. This was special.

He didn't know which emotion to cling to. The heat in his stomach coiled, the light headedness began, and the bright feeling in his heart all ignited at the same time. He began a war in his mind. Should he give into the lust, the high of friendship, or the love he was feeling for the other man?

A smile grew on his tan face, making his whisker scars curve slightly upwards.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

This chapter begins with Sakura watching Ino set up her shop for the day. The reader's find out that Hinata is marrying Neji in a few days and she would like Naruto's opinion. Sasuke asks him why his approval is so important to her and Naruto explains that Hinata had once confessed her love to him and they have been very close friends ever since. Sasuke is pleased to learn that they had never been together because Naruto was "saving his heart for someone in particular." Sasuke decides that he is going to move into the vacant apartment directly below Naruto's.


	7. Chapter 7

The Way That We Are

Chapter 7

After they had met with the Hokage, the clothes were bought, and the groceries placed in their rightful places, it was time to clean.

The floors and walls of the empty apartment were filthy. This place had been vacant for quite a while. This was not a desirable part of the village to live in. Sasuke could not understand why Naruto never found somewhere better to be.

For hours they cleaned. They swept the dirt of the loneliness this place had felt. They scrubbed on their hands and knees. They washed away the dust of memories, never stopping and speaking only a little. Words did not matter, they were doing housekeeping together. Naruto was beyond happy just to be in the same room with Sasuke and his counterpart was content with his company.

When the work was finished and the new furniture set up, their bodies were tired and covered with the sweat of their efforts. He pulled his dark shirt over his head and when it was free it was used to wipe a damp forehead, to push away yellow hair. Salt water trickled from around his neck. Sasuke did not fail to see this. He let his breath out in a fast wave and let himself fall back on his new bed. He lay there still and catching his breath.

He watched him on the bed. His wet black hair falling across the blanket and his hands upon his stomach. He watched those dark eyes close and took in the view. His rival was absolutely beautiful in that moment. His face relaxed and his body stretched out for Naruto to admire from afar. The scent of his skin and sweat drove him close to insanity.

He was completely captivated by the slender fingers splayed out over that hard stomach when Sasuke opened his eyes. The smaller man watched him for several seconds before he realized it. He was worried. He did not want his friend to be unhappy with him.

Sasuke was not unhappy, however. Instead he ignored it and sat up with the question on his tongue. "You make a lot of money from missions now and the villagers don't really mind where you live anymore, why do you stay in this building? It's falling apart."

It caught him off guard. He had never thought enough about his reason to have ever admitted it to anyone before. He was slightly embarrassed about the answer he was about to offer.

"I guess I always stayed here because this is where I always was. I know that doesn't make sense. I mean, this is where I have always lived and even you knew that. Don't laugh at me, but I thought that if you ever came back I wanted you to be able to find me. When we were younger, I used to think about what it would have been like if I had come home from a mission to find you waiting for me at my kitchen table." He looked away, his eyes pinned to the floor.

Sasuke wasn't expecting this sort of reply. He had expected him to say that he hadn't left simply because it was something that he was used to. He let it sink into his mind and he knew that Naruto must have been feeling very vulnerable after such an admission so he offered his own.

"I thought I was going to die a few days ago. I could feel myself slipping in that field and I thought it was the end of me. In my subconscious I thought about what it would be like for someone to find me. I pictured being rescued. I pictured that it would be you that found me and when you actually did, I thought you were an illusion. I didn't understand that it was really you until you touched me."

"You wanted me to come for you?" this was another thing today that he couldn't believe.

"Yes, I guess that I did."

"But you must have known that I would bring you back here."

"Yes. I knew. I thought about it and I found that I didn't care. I wasn't ready to die."

His blue eyes watered as they often did when feeling strong emotions. He sat down beside Sasuke on the bed and looked over at him with a serious expression.

"Sasuke, tell me why you said you'd stay here after all of those years of telling me no."

He sighed. He had expected this question slash demand. He had rehearsed it in his mind for it to come out in such a way that it would hint at his own feelings but not give himself away. He was confident in his answer because it was completely true.

"I have accomplished my goals. I no longer have any that involve being outside of a village. My enemies are all dead and my only friend lives in this particular village and so living here is not a problem."

"What about your goal to marry a nice girl and revive your clan?" Naruto did not want to hear the answer. He did not want to see the man he had saved his heart for, in love with someone else.

He looked to the floor, his dark eyes moving to see his companion from the corner of his right eye. "I gave it up a long time ago. Not all of it, but most of it. If I meet someone to have a family with I will and if I don't I will no longer be devastated. I have seen both my clan's magnificence and its cruelty and perhaps it would not be too bad if I were truly the last one of them."

He glanced down at where Sasuke's hand was bent over the side of the bed, holding his body up. He couldn't help himself. He placed his own tan hand on top of Sasuke's pale one and squeezed slightly. The hand beneath his was cold but smooth on the top. He imagined it would be rough and calloused on the bottom, the katana leaving its marks. He wanted to bring the hand up to his mouth just as the dream Sasuke had done to him, but he did not. Instead he stood up and excused himself. Said he had to take a shower. Said he had to sleep. Said he had a mission tomorrow.

He left Sasuke to sit alone on the bed staring at the door he had gone through. The raven couldn't understand how the conversation could have gone the way it did. He was under the impression that the other man wanted him to open up. That must not have been the problem. It must have been something else that went wrong.

He moved on in his thoughts. The hand that had been over his was warm. It was big and it was comforting. It was placed there to display a gesture of protection and affection. If he had had the mentality of any of the women that he knew, he would have become nervous and extremely flattered to feel that hand on his.

He wanted that warmth back. He didn't want to be alone. He felt around for that glow of chakra that would let him know that his friend was back in his own apartment, but was only able to feel that of the Anbu that guarded him. He sighed and looked around the room to scrutinize the work that they had been able to get done.

The furniture was all set up and he had a new bed. The floors were clean and a few empty picture frames hung on the walls. He contemplated what pictures would eventually fill them. The food was all put away in the kitchen and the dust was all cleared away. The air smelled of cleaning products and he noted that his body was exhausted.

His eyes landed on the shirt that had been dropped on the floor in his friend's quick decent. He went to it and felt the damp sweat soaked into the fabric. He looked back to the door before raising it to his face. He inhaled the salt and the scent of the skin. He stuck his tongue out across it, got an idea of what his rival tasted like.

The musky masculine scent caused his body to react without him noticing. His arousal was harder than it had been the night before and it was aching for the release it had been promised earlier.

He made his way back to the bed with the shirt still in his hand. He lay flat and brought the fabric against his nose once again. His pants became painful around him and he could feel a sticky drop of liquid from the tip soaking through and creating a small wet stain.

He rubbed it. Squeezed the tip. Ran his palm over the length. It was sensitive. He released it from its confines with shaky hands. It stood straight and pale, the veins clearly visible. He watched his blood pump through the vessels for a second and he became more aroused if possible, he was sure that Naruto would find him beautiful.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his sweaty palm over his length again. Goosebumps rose on his skin, his nipples erect under his top. He pretended it was his eventual lover caressing him with those tan hands that had held his only moments before. He imagined the blonde topless and above him, dripping all that sweat from earlier onto his pale chest.

Sasuke pushed his own shirt up his chest to the bottom of his neck. He traced his fingertips on the smooth skin that he found there. His breath quickened and he gasped lightly. Naruto would be kissing him on everything that was bare just then. He gasped again at the thought.

Next his fingers were around his shaft as they began moving up and down and then in circles around it to cause a twisting motion. His mouth opened. This felt amazing. He imagined his best friend doing this to him and knew that it was what he wanted. He began to create a steady rhythm and found himself breathing harder than he had ever done so outside of the battlefield.

His tip leaked onto his fingers and he couldn't resist as much as he would have liked to. The wet fingers found themselves in his mouth and the taste of himself brought him closer to release with the thought that Naruto would tasting him soon.

The pace of his hand became more rapid and he began moaning, softly at first and then louder and much more desperately later. The name left his mouth as it had the night before and this time there was no hesitation, fore there was no one to wake tonight.

He decided in the middle of this passion that he should practice the words. He wanted to give them to the blonde as a gift and practice makes perfect.

"I love you" he whispered aloud with a moan followed by the name again.

"Naru," he called into the empty apartment and a line of spit slid down the side of his lips.

He was close. He pumped himself faster, high on his own self pleasure and the name of his friend on his tongue. He waited for the release and he touched. He waited and he squeezed. He waited and he caressed the soft pouch below his member. He waited and he waited but he could not climax.

He could not take it any longer. He wanted to come and he would. He put a slender finger into his mouth and coated it well with saliva. He pushed his trousers lower down his thighs. He was excited, he knew this would work. He knew this would bring him what he was waiting for as he imagined Naruto doing this to him.

He took a deep breath and practiced the words again as he slid his slick finger inside himself. He ignored the sting and the ache and set out searching for the cushion of nerves inside him that would send him over the edge.

His arousal twitched in his other hand as he continued to stroke it. The finger moved in and out until he found it. His breathing was hard. His fingertip brushed the nerves and his vision went white. The name came out loud this time and he could not catch his breath. White hot liquid shot into the air and then fell to cover his hand. The pleasure hit him hard and tears welled into the corner of his eyes. He had never felt more fulfilled with any sex related activity before and he knew that if it could feel that good by imagining his best friend, he would die from pleasure when he had the chance to be with the actual man.

He laid still staring at his new ceiling and thrusting his hips into the air to ride out his orgasm.

He thought about the man he had fantasized about and remembered the warmth he had offered him against his back last night. His breathing returned to a normal pace and he felt and unusual sense of clam. He was alone now but the memories did not have time to surface before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep where he saw the dobe in his dream wearing a head band with kitten ears and heard the ninja cats in the background calling for him. He had to get that last paw print.

He needed advice. He did not walk up the stairs to his own apartment when he left Sasuke. Instead, he found himself walking the street wondering who he could talk to about this.

Kakashi would have been his first choice. Over the years the man had become like a father figure to him and although his advice was often given in riddles and humor, his words on the subject would have mattered. He knew that the silver haired man was still angry with Sasuke, but he also knew that he would understand and he suspected that the jonin already knew about his feelings for the raven. Kakashi was not an option though; he was still on a mission with Guy Sensei and the leader of the mist.

Pervy Sage would be his second choice, no his first, but he was dead in the bottom of a body of water. He was not ever coming back and the thought of his god father and grandfather figure made him ache until his bones began to feel it.

He felt uncomfortable with talking to Sakura about this. She had once loved him and may not have appreciated his feelings for their former teammate. He knew that she understood as well, but they had never had a conversation about it and he wasn't sure how she would react.

He went through his list of friends in his mind and decided that one after another, they were not good choices. He knew that they all knew, but it was never put into conversation before and each one would react differently.

Kiba would laugh. He wouldn't make fun of him for being interested in a man, but he would laugh about who exactly it was that held his attention. Lee would smile big and tell him to go for it without actually offering any advice. Shino would remain silent and change the subject to the time they had all gone on a mission together to retrieve Sasuke without him. The reaction he expected from Ino was about the same as what he thought Sakura would say. Choji would congratulate him and suggest they all go for barbeque together to celebrate but it would not be enough. Shikamaru would analyze it and tell him that he had known from the minute he had seen the two of them fighting when they were very small children. He would tell him it was expected and that it was possible for a relationship to work out, but he would say nothing more. The Hokage would laugh her deep laugh at him and tell him good luck. His train of thought then landed on Neji and Hinata.

They would know what it was like to confess their feelings to the person that they loved. Hinata had done it bravely on the verge of her own death and Neji had done it on the battlefield, each not knowing how the object of their affection would react.

Naruto could have laughed at her. He could have turned away from her and he could have completely rejected her without giving her a true answer why he didn't feel the same. She had told him anyway and although it did not work out the way she had planned, she had felt liberated.

Hinata could have called him a pervert. She could have rejected him in much the same way that she could have been rejected. She could have been disgusted with him for liking his own cousin. She could have spit in his face and run from him. He had known all this before he had opened his mouth. He couldn't hold it in any longer and he could not bare the thought of losing her without her knowing his true feelings. He had done something taboo in admitting he loved his cousin with his whole heart and they now had a wonderful life together because he was unafraid.

Yes, they were the best in the village to talk to. As he headed to their family home, he rehearsed what he would say to them.

The sun was down and the stars appeared. The air bit his bare neck as he knocked on their door.

After greetings were exchanged and congratulations were given on their upcoming wedding, the room became quiet.

The three of them kneeled in front of the traditional lowered table and drank their tea from small porcelain cups. The silence was heavy. He knew that they were waiting for the real reason that he had showed up at ten o' clock at night.

"So I'm pretty sure that you two had guessed years ago, but I love him. I'm in love with Sasuke." He was nervous. He blew over his cup to cool the tea.

"Of course we knew, at least I did." Her voice was kind. "I knew when you told me you were saving your heart. I knew it could only be him."

"You chased after him like your life depended on it. We urged you otherwise but you would not give up. It had to be love, for you to run after a person that had treated you so badly. Sometimes when people love someone, they don't care how the other person treats them or they don't see it." Neji was not being mean but he was not being kind either. He did not like the last Uchiha and he did not think that he was good enough for Naruto. Naruto deserved the best, he deserved someone better. Perhaps there was a time that Neji had loved the blonde as well as his future wife.

"He's different now, Neji. It's like he wants to be around me for real and he doesn't pick on me. Tonight he basically hinted around that he's only staying in this village because I'm here. He says we can be friends until were old. That's something he wouldn't normally say and I don't think he would have said it to anyone else." he wanted both of them to see that Sasuke was the same person but better than before. Naruto began to believe that he loved him more now than he had previously because of this attitude change. His rival was now more loveable and more open to receiving affection.

"Do-do you think that he loves you too?" she stuttered, but was not embarrassed to talk to him this time.

"I don't know. I think he could eventually. I actually wanted to ask you guys how you think I should confess to him. I want him to know, I need him to know. I just don't know how to tell him without pushing him away or making him think that I'm smothering him." he looked at his cup, watched the steam dance and twist little patterns in the air.

"I suggest that the best way is to just come out and tell him. He is intelligent and you are an open person, he probably has already figured out your feelings and he is waiting. If he has and he hasn't pushed you away already then it probably means that he wants you to tell him. It probably means that he is interested in you as well." Although he was not one hundred percent for the avenger in Naruto's life, he did want the blonde to be happy. He deserved it. He had done so much good and inspired so many people, including Neji, and he deserved to find happiness and comfort.

"So I should, like just tell him?"

"I also think that that would be a good idea Naruto-kun. That's the way Neji-san told me and it let me know right away how he felt. If he hadn't have come out and told me, I would have never noticed at all because I hadn't noticed before." She gave a sweet look toward her fiancé and smiled a content smile.

"So you don't think I should try something elaborate like taking him somewhere romantic to tell him?"

"No. Uchiha does not seem like the romantic type. He will probably find it foolish. If you feel like taking him some place, it should probably be somewhere you would normally go together such as the training grounds."

"Uh, about that, the last time we were there it didn't go so well."

"How so?" she asked.

"I kinda beat the hell out of him, straddled him, threw up beside him, and I kinda got an erection and it rubbed on his stomach." He said the last part fast with embarrassment that Hinata had heard him.

"Well that isn't exactly how I had expected you to describe what went wrong. I had heard a rumor around the Hokage tower that such a thing had happened, but I never knew that it was you two. I suppose the anbu guarding him let it slip to Tsunade-sama."

He was not embarrassed that they had seen him, but knowing that it was spread around made him feel vulnerable. However, he moved on. "So you think that just coming out and telling him would work best?"

"Yes. You should tell him the truth. Just begin and let the conversation take you where you feel it should go." Neji seemed to be an expert on this kind of thing.

The advice was taken to heart and the goodbyes were said. He left their home feeling better and much more under control then he had expected to. He would tell Sasuke straight out as they had suggested and he hoped to Kami that it would not earn him a fist to his stomach. Now that he finally had Sasuke back in his life, he could not lose him again.

He was not ready to go home yet. He ended up in front of the park bench that Sakura had once told him was the last place she had seen Sasuke before his departure for power. He had come to this place as often as he had visited the Valley of the End.

He took a seat and thought a long time about what his options were. His fingers were numb. He pulled the jacket that Neji had lent him closer around him. The brown haired man had thought he would need one since he had shown up without a shirt to cover his torso.

He took a deep breath and coughed out the cold air that had invaded his lungs. He knew what he would do and now he knew how he would do it. He knew it would be improvised but he knew how he would begin it.

Back in his apartment, the first thing he did was feel for Sasuke's chakra. There it was, a soft warm glow. He exhaled with relief and headed for the shower. Tomorrow he would try. He and the fox within him felt that perhaps he was rushing it, risking to push the raven away, but he knew he needed to tell him. He had waited almost six years with the weight on his heart and now that the smaller man was here with him, he could not waste any more time.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

The boys set off cleaning Sasuke's new apartment and setting everything up for him to live there. As they take the time to rest for a bit, Naruto admits that although he is now considerably more wealthy compared to when he was a child, he hasn't moved out of his apartment because he wanted Sasuke to be able to find him if he ever came back on his own. Sasuke feels the need to admit something as well and explains that as he had sat wounded in the field probably dying, he wanted Naruto to find him and he didn't mind being taken back to the village. He also lets the other man know that he is staying in the village now because Naruto is there. There is awkwardness between them as their hands touch. Naruto is overwhelmed in confusion and trying to keep himself in control and leaves the apartment. Sasuke cannot help himself and continues what he had been doing the night before in bed. He is relieved and content. Naruto visits Hinata and Neji for advice on how to admit his feelings to Sasuke. He decided that he would tell Sasuke how he felt soon.


	8. Chapter 8

The Way That We Are

Chapter 8

He had slept well, better than he had in a long time. It was even better than his night with Naruto because there were no incredibly attractive best friend rivals to distract him away from dreaming.

The bed had been warm. He was groggy and so he continued to lay there. He imagined what it would be like to stay in bed with his dobe in the mornings.

He imagined tan arms around him, squeezing the air from him and securing him in place. He pictured his lips against those arms. Yes, his short time here and his newly realized love for his friend had made him more affectionate.

He knew that Naruto was an overly affectionate person and he would come to expect the same treatment from Sasuke. He found that he didn't mind. He would allow himself to be emotional around the man if it would make him happy.

He stilled and held his breath. He could hear him in the apartment above him moving around. He could feel the energy and the chakra. He let his breath out and for the first time since last night, he thought about when the idiot had left him.

Also for the first time he thought about the reasons he could have left. He suddenly became fearful. Maybe in the last few days, Naruto had changed his mind. Perhaps he had decided that he didn't love him and couldn't.

That could not be. It simply could not happen. Sasuke found it extremely hard to fall in love and now that he had finally done so, it was not possible for the one that he fell in love with to reject him.

He had to make sure of his friend's feelings for him. He had to show the blonde how loveable and friendly he had become just for him and no one else.

He had an idea and went to his new kitchen and began cooking. The food smelled wonderful. He willed the scent to float up to the apartment above his and waited.

It worked. Minutes later a sleepy looking dead last was standing outside his door. He wore his trademark outfit and his gear attached to him. That was right, he had a mission to complete today.

"Morning," the blonde said, eying the groggy raven. 'If he looks like this every morning then I won't ever be able to leave the house.'

"Good morning, Dobe." It was affectionate. Naruto's heart pounded louder than it had seconds ago.

He could tell his friend was staring at him so he set to work placing the food onto two plates. He did this with as much poise as he could, hoping to impress Naruto.

This too, had worked. The inspiring Hokage desired to embrace his rival from behind, capturing him in a gentle hug while the other man went about his food distributing business. He wanted to feel that body pulled tight against his chest. He wanted to feel the other's heat spread through him like a deep ache. He wanted the raven so much. He stood still, begging himself not to act upon anything. He wasn't ready for this yet.

The food was as good as it smelled. They sat across from one another at the new table they had bought together the day before. It was small. It was the right size.

"You have a mission today." It came out as more of a statement than a question but was meant in the same way. He wanted to know where Naruto was going and when he'd be back.

His hand went to the back of his head as it had done on so many other occasions before. "Yeah I have to take a trip to Suna, Garaa wanted to speak to me about something. But don't worry, with the extra chakra I share with the Kyuubi I can get there and back really fast if there's nothing important going on. I'll be back tonight."

Sasuke did not like his love interest traveling to see the red head. He had known since he had been addressed by the young leader of the sand at the Kages Summit that he too, was in love with the blonde. He didn't believe that Naruto would return those feelings if that was what was to be discussed, but he still felt jealous especially because of the new fear he had developed that morning as he had laid in bed.

But regardless of his feelings for Sasuke, Naruto would indeed come home when he had said he would and they would be able to spend time together that night. He used the blonde's reassuring words to demonstrate the" lovableness" he had wanted his friend to see.

"Good, then you'll be back in time for dinner? I'm making something warm that I learned about in the land of snow. It'll be good for since you'll be cold from traveling in this weather." He smiled. It wasn't a smirk. It was a smile. He looked away, pretending to be shy.

His breath hitched. 'Did Sasuke just flirt with me?' Maybe Neji was right. Maybe Sasuke did know and maybe he was waiting. Maybe he felt the same. A blush grew on his whiskered cheeks and he calmed himself. Now was not the time to let his emotions get the best of him. Instead he decided he'd try to return Sasuke's suggested gesture.

"Of course I'll be back for dinner. I'd really like that Teme, no one but Iruka Sensei has ever cooked for me and I think it was probably just out of pity, even though he won't ever admit it. I know Sakura invited us to dinner yesterday, but it was really only for your sake. So it would be nice if you made something for me."

Sasuke smiled to himself. He had seen the blush and he had felt the other man's excitement. Naruto still loved him, he was sure.

They talked for a few minutes more and then he took his leave. It would be ok. He would be back Sasuke reminded himself. It was strange. It had always been him whom had been walking away and Naruto was the one forever left behind. He now understood the fear of someone disappearing from his life. He did not like it. He would not make his idiot worry about him again.

The short morning he had spent with Sasuke left him more optimistic than usual. He didn't want to leave him behind. He wished that he could take Sasuke with him. It was not possible. He would complete his mission and hurry back to the life he wanted to begin as quickly as possible.

He ran on the tree tops, his feet touching a few branches every so often. He was fast. He would reach his destination faster than anyone else would have been able to.

The advantage of spending hours away from his best friend on this trip was that he could rehearse in his mind what he wanted to say. He mouthed the words with only the trees to criticize him.

"Sas' I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and take care of you and be with you until I die." No, this wasn't it. It was too much too fast. The bastard would just smirk at him and walk off. It had to be sincere. It had to be romantic but not 'mushy'. It had to be cool and it had to have an impact. This comment would not do. He shook his head to allow it to float away.

He continued rehearsing for a long time before he reached the stone opening to enter the Village of Sand. He still hadn't come up with the right phrase to open the conversation up to his teme but Suna was a welcome sight.

He was greeted by two of Garaa's gate patrol and was congratulated on the outcome of the war. As he walked to the office where he would find his red haired friend he felt the warm air brush his skin. The weather was so different here than at home. It was fall in the Land of the Leaves, but constantly hot in the sand.

Garaa was thrilled to see him, although he didn't show very much emotion in his face. His voice was calm with a hint of sweetness, a tone that he had just recently started using on the kitsune a few months ago when he had had to confront Naruto about Sasuke's crimes in the Land of Iron.

A faint smile of admiration ghosted on his pale face and he invited his friend to sit down.

"Hey Garaa, it's been a long time since we got to hang out. I'm sorry I didn't listen when you and the other Kages wanted to keep me locked up away from the war. I just couldn't sit back and let everyone die for my sake. You forgive me right?" he smiled the grin that always won this friend over.

"Yes. I forgive you. I had wanted you to be safe, I didn't want you to be at more risk than you already were." The blonde could have sworn that for a second or two he had seen a sadness pass over the other man's bright green eyes.

"Heh, I know, I just couldn't do it. So what did you want me for, Kazekage?"

"I wanted to talk to you on a personal level."

"You could have just sent me a letter to get me here, you know? You didn't have to make it official village business." He laughed. He was nervous; this was not like Garaa to misuse the purpose of missions.

"I had heard that Sasuke Uchiha was back in the village and I doubted that you would have left him behind willingly to come here." He was right. He would not have come here just to talk when Sasuke had actually wanted to spend time with him.

"I'm sorry Garaa, it's just that it's Sasuke. He's back and I want to spend time with him. You know any other time I would be over here bothering you even if you hadn't asked me too, right?"

"It's Sasuke that I wanted to talk to you about actually." He rested his chin upon his entwined fingers as he often did while deeply thinking.

"What is it?" He knew that Garaa didn't like Sasuke. He also knew that Garaa understood his feelings for the raven. He was beginning to realize that everyone did and that it was never a secret, it was just never talked about.

"Uchiha had committed many crimes since he left your village. I know that you have a gift of seeing the good in everyone but I do not want you to be too optimistic. He is dangerous and I want you to be on your guard."

"You don't understand. He's different now. I mean he's still himself but he's not drunk off of power anymore and he actually wants to be normal I think." He was growing angry. This was the second time that he had had to explain Sasuke's new attitude to someone. Sasuke was never evil, as people thought he was, he just wanted to avenge his family.

"Please calm down. I only want you to be careful. You're my friend, my first one actually, and I don't want you to get hurt. He already has hurt you many times before and I don't want to see it again," Garaa cautioned.

"You don't know him. I think he's tired of acting like he was. I think he wants to fit in with us again and I think he might regret all of the stuff he's done. Why can't you believe that?" His voice was raised. He could hear the Kazekage's guards shuffling outside the door, ready to step in if necessary.

"Naruto, you didn't see his face when he attacked the summit. He was filled with hate and nothing more. I just don't want you to be harmed." He was trying to keep his calm composure but it was difficult. His blonde friend meant so much to him.

"Garaa, just trust me. He's different now. He doesn't want to leave the village and he doesn't have anyone else to seek revenge on, he's fine. I'm sorry that I yelled at you, it's just he's my friend and I don't want you to think the worst of him. Yeah, he was a heartless bastard for a long time but he's better now." He looked to the floor. He didn't want to see any sign of disapproval in Garaa's eyes.

"I understand. Still I want you to be cautious. I know you, you jump into things quickly and fail to look at the situation from all angles first."

It was quiet. What else could he say to the sand user? Nothing came to mind except the urge to thank him, but Garaa was not an emotional person and his appreciation may have made him feel uncomfortable.

"You love him," he said.

He reminded himself that everyone had probably already known, it still surprised him all the same. Emotional feelings were not something that he expected Garaa to talk about with him. He also did not want to be criticized for his choice in a mate, as he knew he would eventually be.

"Yeah I love him. How could you tell?" he looked away from the floor and up at the other man.

He let out a small laugh. It was uncharacteristic of him. "I've known for quite a while. You chased after him for such a long time and each time you failed, I'm told that you cried about it. So I assumed that it wasn't about completing your mission successfully. I didn't really truly know until I came for you in the Land of Iron. The look on your face when I told you what he had done, showed horror and intense pain. I just had a feeling that you loved him. They said you blacked out in the snow afterwards, I am sorry that I caused you distress."

"It's not your fault. You had to tell me. I just couldn't believe that so many people wanted him dead. I couldn't convince the Raikage not to hurt him and I knew that as optimistic as I was, I could never convince the others either. I just didn't want to lose him." It was truth that he spoke.

"Have you told him yet?" He loved Naruto. He did not want his friend to be with the Uchiha, but it could not be helped. He was compassionate and he knew that Sasuke was what he really wanted. He would not ruin this by confessing to him now. He would wait, perhaps when Sasuke really did hurt him again.

"That I love him? No, but I'm going to tonight. He's cooking for me." It was said with a smile at the end. He was very happy about this.

"Uchiha is cooking for you? Perhaps he has changed."

"Yeah he said he'd make something for me when I got back. I just don't know how to tell him though. I want it to be perfect, but I don't want it to be like all planned out or anything. I really want to get through to him."

"Tell him the truth. Tell him how you've been feeling over the years. You are very good at giving speeches, it will work out fine."

"You believe so? I just feel like there's this jumbled up knot in my stomach and it tightens every time I'm near him, like it wants me to just confess to him and get it over with. It's ok though because I think he likes me too. I'm pretty sure that he actually flirted with me this morning before I left." He laughed a little. He was overjoyed. It would work out.

"That is unusual for him." His mouth was a flat line. He didn't understand how someone like the last Uchiha could have done something so ordinary.

"Yeah it is, but I told you that some things about him are different now. I feel like we were meant for this from the beginning, like we've been through so much, how could he not love me back? At first I was worried that he wouldn't because I'm a guy, but sometimes he just looks at me like he's just so happy to be near me. No one's ever felt that way about being around me before. Usually people are annoyed with me after a while."

"I feel that way. I enjoy your company." He looked into the blue eyes before him. He waited for a reaction.

"But we don't get to see each other all the time. And it just feels like one of those looks that you wouldn't give a person that was only your friend."

Garaa sighed. Naruto would never notice the affection that he felt towards him until he actually confessed. It was a shame that he would not confess to him now.

"I cannot say that he will make you very happy, but I am sure that you will make him so. He is lucky to have someone so dedicated to him. He will be happy to have your confession."

"Thank you Garaa, that means a lot to me. You've always been a good friend to me." He could see the hint of emotion on the other man's face and it made his own chest feel warm. He had touched his friend he could tell.

That was all that the Kazekage wanted. He had only wanted to warn him against Sasuke based upon his past. Now he stood at the gates and waved back at his friend.

He would pick up his speed now and make it back to Konoha faster than he had planned. He would make it back in time to help Sasuke make their dinner.

He left the apartment only once to buy the ingredients for dinner. All the shops and buildings were different. They had been rebuilt in different locations and with new designs after Pain's attack, he supposed. He walked the path to shop he had visited the day before with his friend.

He could feel their eyes on him. Some stared with fear or hatred, others with longing. He did not feel uneasy, however. He was used to attention, besides their stares were nothing like Naruto's. He swore the blonde man's eyes were able to pierce through him and detect every feeling that he had.

He could smell their perfume. They still followed him around it seemed. The once young girls were now women peeking around corners and following far behind him trying to be discrete. He still didn't find them interesting.

He sighed and resisted the urge to turn around and tell them that he was taken. It would be funny he concluded, to tell them that he was in love with a gorgeous blonde and they were going to have very many Uchiha babies together. It was not a lie, just an exaggeration. He wasn't even sure if he could ever have children with Naruto and they weren't exactly together per say, but he would find it amusing because they would surely pout. They would think he had found a girl, they would be jealous.

They didn't love him. He had only been back in the village for a few days. They loved his looks and his money and his power in strength. Karin had been much the same. She had loved him for his appearance and the strength he possessed. After a long time traveling and fighting together, she realized how much of a bastard he could really be. He would continue working on himself he decided. He would no longer be cold and distant, he wanted to be close to Naruto.

For the first time ever he felt the need to be protected. He was strong and he was skilled, he could take on the world, but he wanted his rival to take care of him for a change. He would be safe. He reminded himself that he was done fighting. 'I really love him.'

He saw her on his way back. Her blue tinted hair down and slightly moving in the small breeze. Her jacket was held tightly around her by her small and delicate hands and the rays from the sun played against her pale skin. Her eyes were bright as ever, scanning the area for something in particular. He was jealous suddenly. She was beautiful. She was kind and she was elegant. She could have had Naruto and he would have been forgotten.

He let the thought slip away as he approached her. He did not feel like making conversation or being overly friendly at the moment, but he supposed that this was one person that his love interest would be happy that he had befriended.

"Good afternoon, Hinata-san," his voice was the same tone as he had always used. It was not kind but it was not cold either.

"Oh Uchiha-san, I'm surprised to see you walking around." She truly was surprised. She didn't believe that he would feel comfortable being integrated back into the village by himself this early in his arrival. She had expected Naruto to be with him.

"I was just buying some food for later tonight." He wanted to tell her that he was cooking for his rival. He wanted to brag that he got to be so close to him. He changed his mind when she smiled at him. It was sweet and shy, he couldn't go through with it. His time with the dobe in this village had truly changed him slightly.

"That's great, what are you making?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm making soup for the idiot." He smiled back at her, suddenly anxious for his best friend's return.

"That will make Naruto-kun very happy. She didn't stutter, she meant it. She wanted Naruto to be happy and if he thought that Sasuke was the thing that would bring him joy, then she would think so too. Making him dinner would surely make him smile, she knew that he had never been spoiled like that before.

He felt warm inside. He couldn't help himself although it was not usually in his character, "I hope so, I want him to like it."

She noticed his attitude and the strange aura around him. This was definitely the real Sasuke Uchiha, but he was different. She would use her special eyes later to take a look to make sure there was nothing wrong going on inside him.

"He will if it is you making it Uchiha-san." She smiled as she looked down to the ground under her feet, shy and tender.

"You can just call me Sasuke. I'm sorry if I had ever done anything to hurt you in the past. It was not directed toward you." He meant this as well. He hadn't targeted her and he most likely would never do such a thing.

"Alright, Sasuke-san. I have no anger towards you. Honestly, you only ever hurt me by hurting Naruto-kun." She could not help but remind him.

"For that I am sorry too. He was never my target either, he was just in my way. I hadn't ever set out to harm him on purpose and I will never put him in danger again. I am regretful." And he was.

"Even if he gets in your way again?" She had to make sure that her friend would be alright with this dark haired man.

"There is nothing else that I am planning to do, therefore there will be no more opportunities for him to step in my way. I have noticed a change in myself in the last few days and I am sure that even if he were to get in my way again, I would surely listen to him this time. I would still not harm him, he is important to me." He felt the sudden urge to make this woman like him. He knew that her opinion would matter to him and he needed her to see that he would never hurt the dobe again. He wanted so much in that moment and he only hoped that she understood that.

"He is important to you, Sasuke-san?"

He thought perhaps he should tell her. It would get his point across and it would establish where he stood with the blonde at the same time. It would feel good to admit to it out loud for the first time.

"Yes, he is very important to me. He is my rival. He is my best friend. I've recently come to realize that he will be the person that will offer me protection and comfort. He is also the person I believe myself to love." It felt good. It felt incredibly good.

"I love him." he added again after a second, high off of his confession.

"I am very happy to hear that." She really was. Naruto's love was not for nothing.

He knew that she was not lying, he was good at telling things like that. Still he could not believe her, "You are not disgusted with me?"

"Why would I be disgusted with you?" She was confused.

"We are both men." He looked at the ground. Throughout his life he didn't mind being attracted to males, but he did not know how others would react. He had never loved anyone before and so this kind of thing did not matter until now.

She laughed her small petite laugh and covered her mouth with her small hand. When she removed it, her lips were twisted in a smile. "When it comes to Naruto-kun, something like that does not matter to anyone, especially to him."

He did not know how to respond. Usually he would have something witty or cool to say. He did not this time. Instead he continued to look at her. He decided that he admired her. If he were to be interested in women and the blonde that he loved did not exist, he would surely pursue her. She was graceful and elegant. She was beautiful and she was kind. She would make Neji a good wife.

She sensed the relief that he was feeling. It was not easy for a stoic and calmly collected man like this admit that he was in love with someone, a man at that. She decided that this was a good place to leave him. She wanted their encounter to make him feel more at ease for the day.

"It was very nice seeing you again Sasuke-san. I wish you luck and I hope that you will take care of him for all of us. He means a lot to all of his friends, you know." She waved a little hand at him and continued on her way.

It felt strange. He felt lighter and much more content. His feelings for Naruto were never conflicted in his mind, once he decided that he loved the idiot it was permanent, but this encounter left him with absolutely no doubts about his feelings.

Still he would not be the one confessing first, but he would be ready when it was time to admit his own emotions.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

In this chapter, Sasuke wakes up from the night before refreshed but worried about the reasons that Naruto may have left his apartment. He is worried that Naruto may have changed his mind about feeling love towards him and sets out to find out if this is true. He is proved wrong as he is able to sense the type of energy in the other man as they share breakfast with one another. He is happy for this and although it is out of his character, attempts to flirt with Naruto. He is not very skilled at this but it is effective and leaves Naruto in a good mood as he is offered dinner when he returns from his mission. Naruto travels to Suna to visit Garaa as a mission. There, his future relationship and his feelings are discussed. Readers find out that Garaa has had feelings for Naruto for quite some time, but he does not admit this out loud. In Naruto's absence, Sasuke encounters Hinata within the village and tells her that he is in love with his best friend. She is happy for him and he feels liberated. It ends with Sasuke eagerly waiting for Naruto's confession.


	9. Chapter 9

The Way That We Are

Chapter 9

He had just unpacked the ingredients and washed the produce when he felt the familiar comforting chakra rushing toward him. For a moment he panicked. It was possible that something unfortunate had happened and Naruto was rushing to him in alarm. Then he settled himself, this was the dobe. He always rushed wherever he went. It was likely that he would enter the apartment without knocking.

He took a deep breath and positioned himself with his back to the door. He would either pretend to be surprised or he would be smug as usual. He wasn't sure which one would be more beneficial. He bent over the stove, pushing his behind slightly out like a cat in heat. What had he come to? It didn't matter, it would affect his friend.

As expected, he opened the door unannounced. His smile was big as he looked around the room to locate what he was looking for. He found it and pink spread across his cheeks. He hadn't expected to take in such a sight.

Sasuke was bent over the stove, displaying his soft curve. His dark hair fell in front of his face as he looked down at the cooking pot in front of him. An apron was wrapped around him and tied at the back. It was strange to see Sasuke wearing such a thing. He never expected his cool bastard to wear something that suggested femininity. He didn't care, it made the heat begin to curl in his stomach. It was an intense swirl of lust and affection.

The long and thin fingers were wrapped around a wooden spoon as he stirred the water and willed it to boil. The pale neck was exposed slightly. He wanted to kiss it, mark it, own it. He shoved his hands in his pockets in attempt to make his erection less noticeable.

He smirked to himself. He felt the energy change in the man behind him and knew that his display had worked. Uchihas always got what they wanted and he would have his rival either above him or below, it didn't matter.

"I'm home, Teme," he stated the obvious.

Smugness he decided on. "I can see that, baka. It's hard not to notice you, especially when you're wearing such an ugly color." He snickered.

"Hey orange is not ugly! Sorry it's not as dark and depressing as your clothing. What are you making?" the fight was not real, it was where they had left off. His stomach growled.

"I'm making soup. Here, cut up these potatoes." A knife was handed to him and he did as he was told.

"How was your mission?" He was curious as to what the Kazekage could have wanted. He feared the red head had let his feelings slip.

"Oh Garaa just wanted to hang out for a while."

"I thought it was a mission?" He was irritated. He could have spent his day with his friend.

"Oh it was, he thought that I wouldn't want to hang out if he just asked."

"Are you angry with him that you wouldn't have gone unless you were ordered to?"

"No, you're here Sasuke. Why would I want to leave the village unless I had to?" He smiled over at the raven and almost expected to be hit on the back of his head. He reminded himself of Sasuke's changes and realized that that probably wouldn't happen this time.

He was pleased. Naruto wanted to spend time with him. He did not want to leave him behind today.

The food was cooked and ate. It warmed his belly and left him sleepy. His hardness had long ago simmered down when he became occupied by his food. When the last bit of food was swallowed they sat at the table in silence.

Sasuke yawned and Naruto couldn't help but imagine it was the sound of a moan. He could not help himself any longer. He would tell him how he felt about him even if he was rejected in the end. He needed Sasuke to know that he loved him and he also needed him to understand that he wanted him as well.

"You're everything to me," he said. When no reply was offered he continued after a few moments, "You are everything to me Sasuke. You have always been everything."

He looked at the dark eyes and swallowed hard. He could tell that the other man was waiting for him to continue.

"I told you before that I've always been chasing you because I need you in my life and I couldn't let you go. I couldn't let you go because you're everything to me."

"And you're everything to me because you're all I ever wanted to be beside me. You were my only friend, my rival, and my family. A long time ago I told you that I thought of you like a brother, but I was just trying to figure things out in my mind and make an excuse for myself for why I felt the way I did about you."

"I've had a lot of time to think about this, so it's not just another one of my rushing into things moments. I've known for a long time that it was love that I felt for you. I needed to bring you back because you were the only one that I could ever love. It could only be you for me. And even if you are to never return my feelings, I needed to bring you back so that I knew that you were safe. I need you to be ok." He paused and still Sasuke sat there waiting.

"When I'm with you, I feel like I have to be connected to you. I feel like there's a force that wills me to physically touch you. It makes me want to hold you close against me and it's so strong it makes me want to cry sometimes. I feel like I am meant to be next to you in some way, whether it be as your friend or something else. We've been through so much and I've tried so hard to make you notice me, it could only be that we were meant for some kind of closeness in this world. I sound sappy but it's the truth."

"I want to be near you constantly and I can't help myself. I've missed you so much and you will never understand how I feel about you being here with me. I feel like this is a dream and I would give anything to not have to wake up."

"I have always known that you are everything to me because I love you." He looked down at his hands that rested themselves on the table. He prepared himself for rejection.

"I love you," he said again and he waited. He waited for the insults. He waited for the raven's own confession. He waited for anything to break the quiet air around them.

No words came. He wanted to reply. He wanted to admit his own feelings. The words did not come. There was nothing else he could do. He leaned forward across the table and allowed his lips to land on the other man's.

It was soft. Tender. Loving. It was their official third kiss. The class room and the waterfall compared nothing to this one. It was a closed mouth kiss, their lips sensing the heartbeats of the other.

It was unexpected. He did not think Sasuke would do such a thing. It didn't matter. Those lips were soft and they had intentionally reached for his this time. He was elated. As it drew on, he found his hands caressing their way into the inky hair. He would not let go he decided.

The tan fingers ran themselves over his scalp, trying to entangle more of his hair. He responded by reaching a pale hand out and capturing the side of a jaw.

It deepened. A slick tongue ran over his lips and begged for permission. Who was he to deny Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja? He opened his mouth slightly and welcomed him inside.

Together their tongues created a dance. He was tired of fighting. He let Naruto assert his dominance in the kiss. He allowed himself to be taken over by the other man's mouth and his other hand found its way to a strong shoulder and grasped tightly on the orange fabric it found.

Their bodies filled with heat and Sasuke felt himself grow hard and press against the wooden table from where he leaned across. This would not do. Without breaking the kiss he moved around the table until he stood leaning over his new mate.

He couldn't help himself as he often could not. He pulled Sasuke into his lap and urged the other man to straddle him, his slender legs on either side of his waist on the chair.

They needed air. Their lips parted and deep breaths were inhaled. He stopped and looked up at the pale face above his own. He brushed the hair away from the dark eyes.

"Tell me," he said.

"I never thought I could, but I love you," he whispered back, moving his mouth closer to the one below him.

"You love me?" He had to make sure.

"Yes I love you. You're such a dobe," he added.

The mouths were connected again and hands could not get enough of the bodies before them. He could feel that hardness pressing against his behind from underneath him and it made his own member twitch. He wanted him, and he always got what he wanted.

In the middle of a deep kiss he pressed himself harder down upon the blonde's waist. The breaths against his mouth became harder and more rapid. He needed to hear a moan like the one he had heard behind him the other night.

He grinded his waist against the other man's and circled them slightly. It had worked.

"Sasuke," As it had in the field, it came out like a breath. His forehead was now resting against a bony shoulder and his mouth was open, taking in deep breaths.

Sasuke continued his ministrations and he couldn't take it any longer. He retaliated by thrusting himself upwards and harder into Sasuke's soft body. He needed to feel more friction. He needed to feel more of Sasuke.

"Ah!" He moaned. He wasn't expecting it to feel this good yet. He wanted the blonde inside him and he needed him as soon as possible. He began kissing down the tan neck until he found the spot where he had seen the heart beat pulsate before.

He bit it. He sucked it. He struck his tongue against it. He could taste the salt from the sweat. He moaned from the feeling it left in his mouth.

He leaned his head back and allowed Sasuke to do as he pleased. He continued to thrust himself up into his lover as he did so. Yes, they were finally lovers he decided.

He couldn't take it. He pulled Sasuke's mouth away from his neck by his hair and attacked the other man's exposed skin in return. The fox begged him to mark the pale skin, to leave an impression, to show the world that Sasuke belonged to him. He quieted the animal within him, everyone already knew that Sasuke was his.

He licked the raven just below his ear and received a loud panting sound from the other's mouth. He enjoyed how Sasuke was being compliant, it was not what he had expected. They were rivals, he thought they would fight over control and was pleased that they didn't. He would have Sasuke and he would have him just the way he wanted him.

He pushed himself off of the chair and held onto Sasuke. With his hands around the smaller man's hips and those pale legs wrapped around his own waist, he carried Sasuke into the other room and laid him down flat on the couch. He crawled on top of him as if he were trying to cover him completely.

"I love you more than anything," he said to the black eyes as he leaned down for another kiss.

Their bodies moved against one another, each thrusting into the warm hardness of the other. Soon it was not enough, they needed more.

First he snaked his hand between their connected hips and unzipped his best friend's pants. Next he undid his own and slid them down his thighs until they rested around his knees. Sasuke took the hint and followed him with his own.

His mouth began to water. He knew that Sasuke was beautiful but he never imagined just how he would look under those clothes. He reached his hand around Sasuke's arousal and caressed the burning flesh. With his other hand he squeezed his own cock, feeling the precum drip from the head.

The raven lost his breath. He had never been touched before by someone he desired. It was unlike anything that he had ever experienced. He had to stop himself from climaxing immediately.

Naruto was tan underneath his clothes. His skin was smooth and the muscles in his legs were strong. His arousal stood straight out for Sasuke, twitching in anticipation in that strong hand. He laid back and allowed the blonde to touch him.

He pumped them both in time with one another. It was an incredible feeling. He had imagined Sasuke beneath him only days ago but it was nothing like this. He held Sasuke's cock in his hand gently and found a steady rhythm that caused the raven to thrust in to his hand.

He wanted to create that friction he had felt before against the smaller man's waist again. He stopped touching both of them and felt a hint of pride as he heard his friend whimper from the loss of his hand around him. He spit into both hands until they were wet. The hands were then replaced as they slicked both members.

He let go and grinded down on Sasuke as he kissed him. The pink lips moaned into his mouth and threw his head back slightly. He had never experienced this before.

"More," he panted into the blonde's ear and Naruto could not help but give into his demand.

They continued to thrust against one another until the heat became too much. He reached his hand between them once more and gripped them both at the same time. He squeezed and he moaned. He panted and he grinded.

He whispered 'I love yous' and he could feel his sweat soaking through the fabric on his upper body. With his free hand he removed his jacket and pulled up his tee shirt. He lifted Sasuke's as well until their bare chests rubbed against one another. For a moment he mourned the absence of the apron.

It was intense and neither of them could hold on any longer. Sasuke came first, arching his back against the couch and pressing his cock harder into Naruto's body.

The sight of the man that he loved and the feeling of the hot and sticky liquid hitting his bare skin sent him to his release as well. He tensed up and captured the lips as he came over Sasuke's body.

They panted, out of breath and dizzy from their orgasms.

He couldn't believe this. He simply could not. Sasuke was under him, face pink with exhaustion and pleasure. He was covered in Naruto's semen and he could smell his own sweat on the pale skin. He was dazed and utterly pleased.

He reached a slender hand up towards the yellow hair and pulled his rival in so that their lips touched. He was content. This is what he wanted. He wanted his best friend in this way.

He kissed him sweetly, then roughly. He projected all the pain Sasuke had caused him over the years into his lips. His mouth tangled together with the raven's and he found he wanted more. He still wanted more of Sasuke.

"You're mine and you won't ever leave me again, right?" he asked as he broke away from the kiss.

"I told you before that I won't leave again." He wanted those lips on his own again and he wanted them fast.

"You're mine," he stated again.

"I'm yours," he confirmed, knowing it was something that Naruto needed to hear.

The lust was apparent in the blue eyes and the collar bone was flushed. He had just climaxed, but he began to feel the desire well up again and when the he tasted the blonde's mouth that was offered to him he became hard once more.

Naruto felt it underneath him and he craved it. He wanted to taste the mess that he had made of the other man. He trailed kisses down Sasuke's chest as he made his way to his destination. His tongue lapped at the belly button on display and felt the soft hairs that left a path to the prize standing hard and tall for him.

He tasted the cooled down cum spread out over the pale skin and it sent a shiver through him. When he reached Sasuke's member, he kissed it softly on the tip and heard a gasp. He ran his tongue on the shaft and memorized every vein and ridge.

He opened his lips and without warning took Sasuke whole and wrapped them around the base. He could feel his lover twitch against the back of his throat and he let out a moan and a hum around the hard arousal he had engulfed. He was rewarded with a quick thrust deeper into his throat and a wailing raven underneath him.

He held the moving hips down with one strong forearm as he continued to suck on his best friend. He placed one hand around the base just under where his mouth rested and began moving it up and down simultaneously with his lips. The other hand went to caress the softness below the stiff cock.

He repeated this rhythm until he felt Sasuke become even more ridged and felt the testicles in his hand begin to tighten, he was sure that Sasuke was close to his second climax of the night. He stopped. He removed his mouth and his hand and returned up to that beautiful face he had dreamed more than plenty of times about.

Sasuke looked up at those eyes that he long ago wanted to forget about. At one time he had hated the other man with all of his entire being. No, that wasn't right. He had wanted to hate him. He had told himself that he did, but he never really could. He could not hate the blonde who he had once admitted under a waterfall and in the rain that was his closest friend.

The hate he had wanted to feel never truly came and now as he thought about it in the small quiet seconds he gave himself inside this intense pleasure, it was never meant to come at all. He loved the man above him and he loved those blue eyes looking down at his flushed face. He reached a hand up and captured the lips again, wanting their taste to be the only thing he could remember.

He thrust his hips down into Sasuke's again and felt the pleasure take him over. His breath came out ragged and he couldn't stop himself from asking, begging, pleading.

"Will you let me have you?" he whispered into the dark haired man's mouth.

He had never been asked this before. He had never had to grant permission to anyone. They often took what they wanted when they saw fit. He could not say that he was ever forced or raped, but he had certainly not asked for it or thought enough about wanting it. And so he had never shared such an intimate thing with his past partners as this. He had never been asked.

Although Naruto was not his first, Sasuke understood that he would be his last. He hadn't loved any of the other men. In fact, he couldn't say he even liked them, not even a little. They were the ones he went to for power. They were the ones he had expected to make him strong. Payment was always taken as expected.

But the man above him now was the only man he had ever loved or wanted. This would be the way his first time was meant to be. He decided that this truly was his first time. He was overwhelmed with lust and emotion. He could not help himself but give an answer to make the other man want to fall to his knees.

"Yes you can have me. You will always have me, this is how it was meant to be." He knew that he wanted to astound Naruto and he wanted to invoke emotion in his rival, but he did not expect such words to leave his mouth. These words were not something he would normally say. These emotions were ones he would not normally feel. He decided to count it out as a loss of pride when he saw the feelings flash over the blonde's face.

The words echoed through him. He had never known Sasuke to be so 'sweet'. His heart thumped. His cock twitched. His eyes watered. He would have cried. He would have broken down and bawled over his naked fantasy right then if he wouldn't have thought it would ruin the situation. He did not think that Sasuke would find it attractive, so instead he held it in and kissed the pale face below him along the jaw line, neck, forehead, and back to the lips.

The kisses ignited his hormones more than they had already been heated up. He felt the tears in his own eyes begin to form. No, he was certainly different than before and he was no longer afraid that his emotions were a weakness, but he would still not cry with the dobe over this. His mother had once told him that when you are happy you smile and laugh, not cry.

He picked the raven up awkwardly, his waist barely breaking contact with the other and his arms held tightly around the chest. He laid him on the floor in front of the couch. They needed room. He needed room. He wanted to enjoy this and could not be bothered about falling off of the furniture at the moment.

He lay with his back flat on the floor and waited for his lover to make the next move as he lay beneath him, his face covered in wet kisses and his heart threatening to burst from his chest. When the blonde did nothing but kiss him, he made the assumption that Naruto did not know what was to come next. It should have annoyed him like many things the idiot did, but it did not. It pleased him immensely. It meant that he was inexperienced and he had not lain with anyone else.

He had not ever slept with anyone else. Sasuke was the only one he had ever desired doing so with. Before he understood his feelings for his teme, he wanted Sakura. She was beautiful and smart. She was soft and she was the only female that didn't ignore him right away, but even then when he tried he could not picture himself being intimate with her. It did not disgust him, he just knew that it wasn't right.

On his long travels with Jiraya, he had spent an awful lot of time in brothels. He had been curious. Jiraya had been generous with his money. He had fooled around with a whore or two, but he did not have sex with them. Again, he did not feel that it was right.

It was Sasuke that he wanted. It had always been Sasuke and now that he had the one that he wanted, he did not know what to do. He understood the mechanics, but he was unsure how to go about it. He looked down at the black eyes for a hint of what the next step was to be. He was grateful when he received a reply.

Sasuke took his hand in his own smaller and much more slender one. He raised the rough fingertips to his mouth and rubbed his lips over them, causing them to tingle. He licked them sensually, knowingly teasing the other man. Next he took them into his mouth and spread his saliva around every inch of them to leave them wet and slick.

When he released them from the wet heat of his mouth, he brought them down between their bodies and between his legs. He kissed the tan nose and placed them just outside his entrance. He gave his best friend a hazy lidded stare.

He understood now and he knew that he had to be careful. He thought about how he had hurt Sasuke a few days ago on the training grounds and the promise he had made. He never wanted to hurt this man again.

He took a deep breath and circled his wet fingertips around Sasuke's puckered entrance when his hand was released. He felt the ridges and bumps of his lover and thought it to be velvety. He contemplated what it would be like to kiss Sasuke there but refrained from doing so. He was afraid that the other man might find it strange and that could not happen. This had to be perfect. This was Sasuke and everything must be perfect for him.

He continued to circle with his fingers. He heard a breathy sound. He was doing this right so far.

"Won't it hurt you?" he whispered into the space between them.

"No," he lied. The pain that would come didn't matter. The pleasure would allow him to forget it and it would certainly be worth it. He was in love. Anything was worth it for this love.

With this reassurance he couldn't help himself anymore. He pressed one slick finger inside Sasuke and felt the soft walls squeeze around him. It made him want to scream. It made him want to cum.

The anticipation of finally feeling himself inside Sasuke got to him and it affected his breathing. He moved his finger in and out of the man he loved. He made sure to do this slowly and cautiously for several seconds before he added a second finger.

He looked to Sasuke's face and knew that the raven had lied to him before. The pale eyelids were squeezed shut and the mouth was set in a frown. His boney fingers dug into the carpet, searching for something to hold onto.

At the addition of the second finger it stung. It felt like it was ripping him in two. It had been a long while since the last time, and even then he was not allowed the privilege to be prepared first. He felt the blonde move his fingers around in attempt to stretch him out. With his eyes still shut, he nodded his approval. He could tell that the eyes were watching him and waiting for a reaction.

When he felt that Sasuke was ok, he added a third finger. He knew this had hurt his friend. He heard a small yelp and used his other hand to wipe sweaty bangs away from pale skin.

"Shhh, it's alright Teme. Look at me." He made the gentle command and was pleased when black eyes caught onto his.

After some time the pain faded away into the background. He ignored it and realized that he was incredibly in need of having Naruto inside him. He suddenly desired to show his dobe just how much he loved him and how much he now belonged to him. He moaned to encourage his lover.

He took the moan as an invitation and whispered an 'I love you' as he removed his fingers and spat into his hand to coat his own cock. As he placed the head at the pink entrance he assured Sasuke that they were meant for this.

"I have loved you for so many years. You know that I've always been yours right Sasuke?" he needed to show the bastard that this was good for them.

"I know. You are mine and I am yours." Again he did not expect to say something quite like this but as the words left his mouth he did not regret them, they were true after all.

The fox was pleased behind his bars. He felt the need for Naruto to claim this mate and mark him but was equally content that the action was not needed. The Uchiha had given himself over willingly. It was better this way he supposed, humans typically no longer forced one another into courtship as they had once done along with the animals.

He slowly pushed himself into the small tight entrance until he could feel the end of Sasuke. His testicles rested against the soft curve of Sasuke's ass and the base was held into place by the delicate ring of muscle. He had never felt such a thing. He did not want to ever experience anything but the man below him. This was what ecstasy felt like he guessed.

At first he moved in and out of Sasuke slowly as he had done with his finger. He knew there was a special spot that he should aim for inside that would cause his friend to unravel. Purvey Sage had told him about it when he had talked about his feelings for the Uchiha. He moved around trying to find it. He wrapped a hand around Sasuke's member to harden him again.

Naruto filled him completely. He felt overtaken by the blonde man and he knew that this was what fulfillment meant. In that moment he realized that not only was he everything to Naruto but his friend was also everything to him as well. He didn't quite remember how it had gotten this way. This was not the time to reminisce; he had a strong and sexy ninja on top of him to please. He lifted his legs up to Naruto's shoulders, allowing him to be filled even deeper.

While using the strong shoulders to push off of, he moved his hips up into the other man's waist to hint that he wanted the pace to pick up. As he did so, Naruto slid even deeper into him and then he felt it. He felt the head of Naruto's cock brush against the bundle of nerves that drove him crazy.

He let out a yell and grabbed his lover's shoulders. He placed his mouth over a tan sweaty neck and sucked as he screamed into the flesh at his mouth. The taste was intense. He wanted more of the salty sweat.

He had found it he supposed. He held tight onto Sasuke as he was pulled downward to the raven and his neck was attacked. It felt better than he had ever imagined. He was on top of his best friend whom he had chased after for years. The best friend was here in the village and he was in love with Naruto. Naruto was making him moan and twist and he loved him back. This must have been a dream. He would pray to Kami not to make him wake up later, he was busy right now.

He aimed for that soft spot again and watched Sasuke arch his back and flail in his arms beneath him. He picked up his pace and thrust hard against it. He nearly lost his breath.

"Fuck Sasuke, you feel so good." He couldn't help but let him know.

The pace was fast but he needed more. He needed to show Naruto how much he wanted him. He needed to spoil the dobe as he was being spoiled right now. He kissed him deeply, his tongue exploring everything it could touch. He placed both his hands on the flushed tan chest and sat up without allowing the hard cock inside him to slide out.

He saw the panic in his rival's face but he smiled to dispel it. He lightly pushed the other man to sit against the couch. His waist never disconnected with the other's much to his own surprise. He sat himself on his lap and ground himself down upon the member.

He heard a deep husky moan from his companion and he began moving up and down on the length to make the sound come out of the mouth like a song. Each time he pushed down that spot was hit.

He moved faster when he felt hands come to rest on his waist helping him move more smoothly. He wasn't sure how long he could last like this. He kissed the mouth below him and suddenly realized that perhaps that was what he had wanted to do at the Valley of the End as he kneeled above Naruto's troubled face, his own face hovering above and allowing the rain to wash away his tears. He kissed harder to make up for his long ago lost opportunity.

His hands gripped the hair and his hips thrust up into his lover. Sasuke bounced on his lap, mewling like a cat. It was a sound he would never have expected to hear his friend make. It was high pitched. It was needy. It was beautiful. It was arousing.

It felt good. His mouth watered. His back arched. His lips moved on their own.

"I love you," the raven said.

"I love you so much," he replied into a soft neck. He gave into the fox's demand. He bit him hard. It left a bruise and he felt the body above him shiver.

He threw his head back and allowed his neck to be ravished. It was something he never thought he'd want to experience again after being given the curse mark, but it was not the case with his best friend's mouth over his skin. He tingled at the bite. His body shook and ground his hips down harder.

He could not hold himself anymore. With the movement of Sasuke's hips be pushed the man down on him and thrust himself in as deep as he could as he called out for his lover. He climaxed, a pleasurable violence racked through his body and he could not catch his breath.

Naruto's hot seed shot against the spot inside him and he let out a loud and deep sound. He could hear his noise echo throughout the apartment, he was sure that the neighbors knew just how good he was feeling.

The pressure of his lover's release caused him to tighten around the cock inside him and be sent over the edge as well. His own cum covered his muscled stomach and Naruto's. It was stronger and faster than any other climax he had felt before and he collapsed against the blonde's chest as he tried to catch his breath.

He held him against his body. His arms wound around him and promised to never let go. He rested his chin against the head of dark hair and he breathed his fast breaths until they returned to normal. He ran his hands over the sweaty back. He allowed them to trace the bumps of the spine and felt the other man shiver. He kissed the hair and confessed what he was feeling. He was no longer afraid to tell the Sasuke what he was feeling, he would not be laughed at.

"Sasuke," he whispered. "Sasuke you are everything I've ever wanted. I'm so happy." He smiled although he knew the raven could not see it just then.

"That was me showing you how much you mean to me," his mouth said against the shoulder. He had expected it to sound muffled but it didn't.

Naruto had heard him clearly and now he did allow the water to flow from his eyes. It slid down his face and landed in the hair beneath his chin. They had come so far. He laughed.

He laughed and he laughed small chuckles into the air.

He was suddenly worried at the sound of the laugher. He wondered if what he had said was not taken seriously.

"What's so funny?" he asked defensively as he lifted his head to look at the whisker scars on the face.

"Teme, look at us. We were kids together. We were rivals and I tried so hard to get to where you were. I followed after you like we were playing tag just to be able to stand next to you again. You tried to kill me and said you wanted nothing to do with me. We've both changed so much and I still feel like I'm imagining this, it's just too good. All I ever wanted was to be acknowledged by you. Look at us. Look at what we've become. Look at the way we are. I am so happy." He closed his eyes and grinned the smile Sasuke was used to.

He couldn't help it. He smiled back and moved in for a kiss. His idiot was right, this was both anticipated and unexpected at the same time. It was only natural that they would end up this way, no matter how odd it may have seemed. They were made for this. He was content. He buried his face against the chest in front of him.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

The Chapter begins with Sasuke waiting for Naruto's return from Suna as he prepares dinner. When his friend arrives, he positions his body in a way to tempt him. It works and after dinner, Naruto finally confesses his feelings for Sasuke. They share their first ever intended kiss and it Sasuke lets Naruto that he feels love for him as well. They begin on the couch and progress to the floor where they finally get the opportunity to make love to one another. Afterward, Naruto reflects on how it seemed to be fate that they would end up together because of all the trials they had been through. As the author, some highlighted moments when writing this were Naruto's statement that Sasuke is everything to him and that Sasuke's admittance that he belongs to Naruto.


	10. Chapter 10

The Way That We Are

Chapter 10

The light filtered through the window and stretched across the slender face that he allowed his blue eyes focus on. The floor had become uncomfortable and he had become restless a little over an hour before this moment. He had been stretched across the warm body beneath him before he decided to give into the desire to be completely out of the dream world.

His chin rested on a closed fist held up by a bent elbow. The carpet dug into the skin around the hard bone and bit him. It stung and he knew that it would be red. It didn't matter. He was content.

In the silence of the apartment, he stared at the arch of a pale cheekbone as that light caught it and warmed it. He was captivated by the way those dark eyes were lidded and relaxed.

In this moment his body was still, which was a rare occurrence, and his mind felt more manageable. He contemplated the happiness that he had the luck to acquire over the last few days and found that there weren't quite words to describe how he was feeling.

He had brought Sasuke home a day shy of a week ago. For two days he had watched him sleep in a hospital bed, opting to never leave his side. He had watched the pale unconscious face twist and scrunch together in a grimace at a nightmare. He had whispered nonsense at the sleeping figure in attempt to keep himself company.

He had seen a range of new and old emotions and habits in his friend when he had awoken, seemingly unfazed and not all that angry with him. He had seen the person that his rival used to be in his swift and graceful, almost elegant, movements and in the way insults were handed out without regret. The speech patterns and soft sway of his shoulders when he walked were all the same as they had ever been. His distaste for ramen and sparring tactics were characteristics he was used to seeing in the man.

There were also many differences that he did not find all that unappealing. The softness of a gentle voice. The little stretched out smile that had evolved from that smirk. The willingness to be spontaneously touched in a comforting gesture. Both of the outward and subtle hints of affection that he had offered him when it was least expected. The desire to please him. They were all behaviors that were new in this second chance of life with his best friend.

He had experienced the type of relationship with this man that he had only daydreamed of in the years he had considered himself a child. It was different than anything that he could have ever expected. It was everything that he had deeply wished for. They had shared stories and spent time together. They had playfully fought. They had shared meals and completed household tasks together. They had had a sleep over and they had told jokes to one another. For the first time ever, they had truly acted like best friends.

Their past friendship consisted of a tough love routine. They had fought and argued. Beat each other with their fists until blood had poured over battered skin and stuck to their knuckles. They had allowed insults to flow from their mouths and they had played a very dangerous and painful game of tag for several years. It had cut him deep and the scars hadn't healed for a long time, but it had been a bond like no other.

He was content that things were different now and he knew that in some ways they would always remain the same.

Several times they had spent small intimate moments between them in spread out segments. His feelings had been revealed and returned. It was not something that he had expected and it was a memory that he would hold onto for the rest of his life.

His hands had traced Sasuke's outline. They had caressed the parts of the other man that only the darkness gets to see. His fingertips had brushed over every curve, muscle, and bone that the other had displayed to him. He had tasted the salt from his skin and licked at the softest parts of his body. He had been completely overtaken with the sensations of being cared for.

These recent days were so much more than he had ever seen himself capable of experiencing and it was a glorious feeling. It filled him completely and he allowed it to leak out of his skin in a warm aura. Even the fox within him was satisfied with this new arrangement.

Now as he lay on the floor admiring his new lover's sleeping face, he decided that he honestly felt happy. He was no longer alone and he had caught up to his rival in a sense. Sasuke was here with him and he would never leave, he would make sure that he would never allow the hold that he had on him to weaken in the slightest.

He watched the breath flow through the lungs and inflate the naked and pale chest in front of him. He watched the man that he loved take slow relaxed inhalations in his dream state. He heard the small sounds that the air made as it exited through his mouth and he concentrated on aligning his own breaths to match.

A few stray black hairs fell in front of the eyes and he made the decision to reach his tan fingers and brush them to the side in order to get a better view of the masterpiece before him. He did this slowly and gently, not wanting to wake the sleeping figure.

It was not subtle enough. Sasuke took a deeper breath. Moved his head in a small movement. Opened his ink well eyes. Stared, captivated by him.

"Hey," he said to the raven.

"Hey, good morning." A pale hand reached up from the carpet and brushed the side of his face.

It was quiet for the small seconds it took his friend to fully wake up. When the other had sat up and looked around the room, he watched a hand reach to a stiff back and begin rubbing it up and down.

"My back hurts." He watched Sasuke's mouth say.

"Well, it was your idea to just fall asleep on the floor," he let out a small laugh and sat up to join him.

"It wasn't something I actually got the chance to choose. If you weren't such an idiot that thought a third round was a good idea, I wouldn't have passed out so easily." It sounded mean but it wasn't. That smile he had been thinking about earlier had grown.

He smiled back. This felt perfect. Yes, he was in a sensitive mood, so yes this was perfect. He was laying naked on his living room floor with his best friend, rival, lover, both covered in the results of the night before. What other morning could he have wanted to have?

He sighed. He felt complete. The piece that he had been missing all these years had returned to him and had been better than he had ever daydreamed of. His Sasuke was the same as before, but different in all the best ways. He felt that he was ready for this new life that he had gotten the opportunity to possess.

"Hey what's wrong with you? You're staring at the carpet in adoration." A sleepy deep voice said.

He rubbed the back of his head. Smiled wider. Closed his eyes and opened them again.

"Ah, I was just thinking about how lucky I am, Teme."

"Well I'm unlucky. I have to spend the rest of forever with such a dobe." And so the playful fights of the day had begun.

"That's alright, it gives me plenty of time to think of new ways to better annoy you. You know if you were less of a bastard, I'd tell you that you were beautiful." He snickered at the slender face in front of him and watched those dark eyes narrow into straight slits.

"And if you were less of a dead last, I might think you were cool enough to take me for breakfast. Besides, just because I'm fond of you, it doesn't give you the right to start treating me like a girl and being overly sensitive."

He his smile did not weaken. It was lie. Sasuke had been flattered. He had seen a pink tint paint across those high cheekbones.

"It's not being mushy or treating you like a girl. It's a compliment. Men can be beautiful too. You know, just this morning I was thinking you were like a painting. You really are beautiful to me."

"Like a painting? Have you been reading those romance novels that I remember Sakura having?" He watched Sasuke tilt his head as he had asked him. It was an expression to insult. It was an expression to show that he truly was curious.

"Ha, no. I watch Sai paint a lot. He was telling me that he can see a painting in everything around him, but only in the things that catch his eye. You catch mine." His hand made it over to a white knee cap and smoothed a small circle over it. The heat underneath it was hot.

He saw Sasuke look away, almost in an embarrassed expression. It was he that was flirting now. He laughed at himself. He had always loved Sasuke, but he had never honestly thought about pursuing him up until recently. He had never expected that he would be doing something so normal as using flattery to gain his best friend's affection.

"Take me to breakfast." His rival said.

"Does that mean that you think I'm cool enough?" He was ready to taunt. He was ready to poke with a tan finger. He was ready to kiss the neck that he saw bent before him like an offering.

"Hn." A hand reached over and touched his face. A pair of lips lay across his own. A soft breath left the smaller man.

He tangled both his hands in the dark hair and tugged the head closer to him, as if he wanted to consume him.

The raven pulled away and stood. Sasuke looked over a defined shoulder and dared him to follow after him.

'I will always chase after him,' he reminded himself.

Chapter Summary and Author's Notes:

It is short and it is romantic. This chapter is in Naruto's point of view as he thinks over all that has happened over the last few days. He is happy and content that he is finally being cared for the way that he deserves. He watches Sasuke sleep and reminds himself of Sasuke's new attitude. When he awakes, Sasuke pretends to insult him and ends up being very flattered when Naruto decides to try to flirt with him. He gives in and kisses him. In the end, it is confirmed that Naruto will follow Sasuke anywhere.


	11. A Letter For You

A Letter For You

Dear Readers,

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my work. It was a creative pleasure to complete this very first fanfiction of mine. I hope that you enjoyed the effort I have put into it.

I would like the opportunity to explain some things about this particular piece. I am aware that the indirect pronouns can get confusing throughout, but it is just my writing style. I feel that leaving out the direct pronouns, such as Naruto and Sasuke's names, gives the story more of a poetic feel. I also understand that the way I have written the characters may not have been very accurate to the way that they are portrayed within the anime, but to be honest, it is very difficult to write about the love between two men that don't really display such emotions originally. It's hard to know what they would sound like or what gestures they would use and so I just interpreted it the way I felt was best. In some cases the way I have written Naruto's character may seem sappy and needy. Remember that Naruto is shown as an optimistic, brave, very emotional, and sensitive character within the show. I just tried to make his emotions be a little more about an undying love than about saving a small boy with attachment issues from one of Orochimaru's lady minions. The plot that I used was not all that unique, but it is one that I can actually imagine happening within the story line should us yaoi fans get our way. I truly imagine these two men in love with one another in a dark and skewed way. I can see Sasuke returning and wanting more than he had thought he did.

I would also like to thank those that have commented on this story. The words that you have left me have helped me rethink my writings and inspired me to continue writing this genre of self-expression. From the comments I was also able to learn what I may need to work on in my writing style of my next selection. Some of the comments touched me deeply and I am not sorry to say that I am so sensitive that they have made me cry. It is a wonderful feeling to login to this site and see that someone has left you a kind and sweet comment that tells you what a wonderful job you are doing. It filled me up with so much emotion when I read them. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I hope to see you again and I hope that it will be soon.

Happy reading,

Nicky (Littlepurplestars)


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